Playing Pirates
by Bishonen no Hime
Summary: Kagome, a young English noblewoman is on a ship to her father's estate in Norway when her ship is attacked by pirates. What happens when the pirate captain turns out to be Inuyasha but Sesshoumaru really runs the operation? DISCONTINUED AS OF 91004
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:  I don't own or claim to own anyone from Inuyasha.  There are a few original characters in here that are mine.

AN:  Yes, I know that I have other stories that I'm working on, but this idea struck me and I needed to write it.  I don't know who the pairing will be.  It's either IY/K or Sess/K.  I'll figure that out later.  And I unfortunately had to give everyone last names or different last names 'cause I don't think there were any Higurashis in England, but all first names were kept the same.  The rating if for some cussing and innuendo.

Chapter One 

            Kagome Daniels excitedly leaned over the railing of the violently rocking ship as it rushed along the rough ocean waves.  She turned her face seaward as the breeze picked at the few wisps of dark hair that had escaped from its tight braid.  The salty spray for the water felt cool, and refreshing against her warm skin. She had never been out to sea before but had taken to the constant rocking quite easily. And after a few but torturous hours of being cramped up in the cabin with her governess, Kagome had sought the freedom and fresh air of the deck.  Having gone aft, so as to be out of the way of the working crew, Kagome looked over the landscape of endless blue that melded almost indistinguishably into the sapphire sky that was dappled lightly with white, fluffy clouds.  A slightly stronger breeze swept across cold waters, pulling at the long midnight blue hem and sleeves of her warm dress.  The dark hued dress was a shade lighter than her bright eyes, setting them off perfectly.

She leaned over the railing a little farther until her heeled boots barely grazed the deck, peering into the sparkling water, looking for some sign of a fish maybe.  Honestly, she was hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the giants, the whales, so she could tell her friend back home when she wrote him.  _'Friend probably isn't the best word to describe Hojo.'_  Hojo wasn't his real name obviously; Kagome had given him that nickname when she had met him as a child.  His real name was Howard Osbourn Jr.; but his mother had always called him Howard Jr.  But anyway, the H-O came from Howard and J coming from Junior and the O had come from Osbourn.  Hojo was a nice guy really, a little naïve and dense maybe, but still really sweet.  As well as being quite amiable, Hojo was Kagome's main suitor and her main prospect for marriage.  Well, at least the one her father was pushing her towards.  But Kagome didn't mind, it could be much worse.  She had often heard tales about of women being married to men they had never even met before the wedding day.  So it wouldn't be thought usual if her family tried forcing her to marry some nasty old miser with spotted skin and nasty wooden teeth.  Kagome shivered at the disgusting thought.  

"Hmm, I wonder what he's up to?"  She mused aloud as she thought about their last meeting.

Kagome sat demurely on a wooden bench that had been intelligently placed under a large oak tree in the center of the park near her family's home.  The tree was located half way down a gently rolling hill with a great view of the lake that lay nestled in valley below it.  The day was warm with a barely a breeze to disturb the waters or the emerald leaves above her head.  Hojo was standing slightly behind her, leaning casually against the rough bark of the ancient tree, every chocolate colored hair in place and not a wrinkle in his impeccable clothing.  He was always dressed nicely.  'I swear his mother dresses him.' She had thought on occasion with a small smile.  On this particular trip to the park they had both been oddly quiet, despite the fact that this would be their last time seeing each other for a long time.  After her mother had passed away giving birth to her younger brother, Sota, Kagome had taken to spending most hours of the days with her aunt, who taught her all of the 'womanly arts', as it were.  When her father had been left an estate from a distant relative, he and Sota had moved there to 'put everything in order' as he had said.  But Kagome had stayed there with her aunt until she had learned everything she possibly could.  Her father and brother would come back to London occasionally but never for very long, they seemed to enjoy he country life more.  But now there was nothing keeping her in London, away from her family so Kagome was getting the first ship out to Norway to be with them for a couple of months.  Kagome sighed; she hadn't seen Sota for at least a year.  

            Her eyes had been looking toward the lake, but not focusing, as she was lost in her own thoughts.  She was suddenly startled out of her thoughts when a very serious face abruptly appeared before her vision.  Hojo was unnervingly staring at her with uncharacteristic solemnity.  Kagome blinked.  And blinked again.  He was kneeling on the grass in front of her; her right hand grasped delicately in between his two larger ones, as if her had would break if handled to roughly.

"W-what's wrong?" she had asked, startled.

"Miss Kagome.  I've been thinking about this for some time and being as your going away for a time I would like to ask you something." He started gently.  Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Oh drop the 'Miss', Hojo.  We've know each other for years, there is no need…"

"I intend to ask your father's permission for your hand in marriage."

"for formali..." Kagome' eyes widened.  "I-I'm sorry, could you say that again?"

"Upon your return to London, would you marry me Kagome?"

Blink.

Blink.

Kagome had known that he would ask some day but NOW?????  'But, what more could I ask for?' she thought as she looked into his warm brown eyes.  He was more than a prestigious match for her.  And they were friends; many marriages were based on less then that.  Yet why did her heart scream in protest against her reason?  If she turned him down when would another prospect this good some along in her life?  Would she be forced to marry some crazy old coot in some deserted part of the world?  Sorry heart, this match goes to the brain.

"If my father says yes then so do I."  He smiled brilliantly at her and brought her hand up to his lips for a caste kiss.

"I promise to make you very happy, Kagome."  He swore to her as he rose to stand and brought her up with him.  And she believed him.

"Miss Kagome!!!"  Called a voice from behind her that had almost gone shrill with fright.  "Please get down from there this minute!!"

Kagome lowered herself fully onto her feet and primly turned toward the voice's owner.  An elderly woman walked as swiftly as her old short legs could manage towards her.  Her long white hair was tied tightly at the base of her neck, pulling it all away from her face, giving the aged countenance a very sever and serious look.  Her plain, yet attractive muslin colored dress bore the wrinkles of a secretly taken nap that had been ill removed.  She came up to her charge with a huff and attempted almost vainly to catch her breath.  Kagome kindly patted her on the shoulder, waiting for Lady Kaede to catch her second wind.  

"Miss Kagome please don't ever scare me like that again." She said half chastising and half worried as she placed a wrinkled hand over her rapidly beating heart.  

"Your aunt entrusted your safety to me.  If something were to happen to you…"

"I'm very sorry Lady Kaede.  It won't happen again." Kagome said with practiced humility lacing her voice.  'The woman is always wrong.' She could almost quote her aunt.  The elder woman smiled warmly at her.

"Oh Dear, I didn't mean to chastise you.  You just scared me, that's all." She said kindly.

"Are you Ladies enjoying the fresh air?" rumbled a deep voice from about mid-deck.  

            Both Kaede and Kagome turned their attention to the approaching captain of the ship.  He was a tall, wide man, well over six feet, with short sun-bleached blonde hair and dark tanned skin.  He was currently wearing a snug fitting, white shirt that showed his off his well-muscled arms and chest.  With dark gray, worn breeches and tall black boots.  He smiled roughishly at Kagome as he reached them.  _'And here stands the personification of why young women need escorts.'  _Kagome thought dismally as he bowed lavishly before them.  Kagome seriously doubt that the captain would take a woman against her will, but any dimwitted girl could be easily _persuaded._  Kagome, however, was not dimwitted.

"Yes, Captain Bowles, we are."  Kaede answered him with trained indifference; but his smile never faltered.

"I'm glad to hear it.  If these winds keep up it will shorten our trip substantially." He answered looking up toward the full sails above their heads.  

"I'm sure it will."  Kaede said back, trusting his knowledge of the ship and seas.  Bowles looked like he was about to say something back but was interrupted by someone else.

"Captain!!"  The lookout called from the top of the main mast.

"What?" he called back, suspicion layering his voice.  He shouldn't being seeing anything worth mentioning.  _'Unless…'_

"Ships.  Two of 'em, hard to port!"  

Everyone on deck looked to the left, Kagome only saw small dots on the horizon, but to Bowles' and the crew's trained eyes it looked perfectly clear.  Only one thing made that shape, or moved like that.  The Captain suddenly turned toward the women.

"You Ladies had better get below deck.  This could become ugly."  He stated firmly and grimly.

Despite the fact that women were not supposed to be obviously curious of something, Kagome still asked,

"What is it?"  

Kaede glared at her discreetly.  Captain Bowles just looked surprised before answering.

"The port had been full of rumors that pirates had taken to sailing the northern seas and attacking the ships that sailed them.  But I doubt its anything." He said, attempting to be reassuring.  But he failed miserably.

"Come then Miss Kagome."  Kaede said in an authoritive voice that didn't allow for arguments.  Kagome followed obediently, purposefully ignoring the smile Bowles gave her.   _'Ew.  He just creeps me out.'_  She thought as she stepped cautiously down the narrow steps into the dank bowels of the ship.  She and Kaede shared a small, cramped room that smelled of rotting wood and seawater.  At least there weren't any rats; not that she'd seen anyways.  _'God I hope not.'_  She half-prayed at the thought.  The rocking of the ship seemed substantially worsened when sitting inside.  Kagome didn't notice however because she was still thinking about what the captain had said.  Pirates?  Were pirates going to attack them?  They weren't a merchants ship; they weren't carrying anything of great value.  _'At least as far as I know.  Well, he hadn't thought to inform us of the pirate rumors, so who knows what's in the holds.'  _Kagome sighed; this was probably going to be a long trip.  _'But what if the pirates attack?  Will they kill the crew?'_  Her breath caught.  _'What about Kaede and I?  Would they kill women?  Or would they…'_  

"Its not worth worrying about, Miss Kagome."  Kaede said calmly, concentrating on the knitting in her lap.  _'When did she take that out?' _  "We can't do anything."  Kagome couldn't help but fume at her words.

"How can you set there and be so calm?!?!?  What if pirates do attack us?  What would they do to us?"  She demanded angrily.  

"I am so calm because I'm old enough to know my place and life."  Kagome blushed vividly at the blatant remark about her lack of self-control.  It wasn't her fault that almost every rule she was supposed to follow rubbed her very painfully the wrong way.  Maybe her mother had been like that too.  Kagome couldn't really remember her.  They sat in silence for a long time, Kaede contently clinking her knitting needles together and Kagome tumbling troubling thoughts around her mind as she wrung her hands together.  Kagome wouldn't remember later how long they had sat down there but before she knew what was happening when they heard shouting from the deck.  The cries were muffled through the layers of wood that separated the women from the topside but Kagome could sometimes hear the distinct clash of metal clanging against metal.

"What's going on?"  Kaede asked almost disinterestedly as she looked up from her handiwork.

"Pirates… They're fighting."

The deck of vessel was awash is blood and carnage from the violent take over of the ship.  The pirate crew was busy throwing the bodies over board for fish food as their captain "spoke with" the ship's captain.

Inuyasha held the blade of his sword tightly against the man's neck.  His waist length silver hair was tied about halfway down to keep it pulled back, leaving only his wild bangs to tumble over his brow.  His startling gold eyes were locked on the kneeling man before him, narrowed with disgust and contempt. Men like this one really made his stomach lurch.  So stuck on duty and honor.  What a joke.  _'Hmph.' _He thought at his line of thinking.  _'Just like Sesshoumaru.'_   He shook his silver head as if to dismiss the thought and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

"So are you going to answer me or not?"  He demanded of the blond man who was currently bound at the wrists and ankles and sporting a bloodied lip and cut chest.  He was bleeding pretty profusely, Inuyasha was didn't think that he would be conscious much longer.  He saw the man's eyes droop slightly and pressed the blade harder against his throat in frustration.

"Well?" he half-yelled angrily.  "Is there anyone else onboard?"

"Women…"

"Women?"  He thought in confusion.  He hadn't seen anyone that looked wealthy enough to have been some girl's escort.  Probably wenches.  

"Anyone else?"  

"…"

When no answer came Inuyasha looked down at the man; his eyes were closed and he was barely breathing.  Inuyasha felt his eye brow twitch and felt his slightly sadistic streak take over.  

"Throw him overboard."  He ordered the two men standing ready behind him.  He sheathed his sword as the men lifted the ex-captain of the ship by his bound arms.  Inuyasha was about to walk away when he smirked evilly at them.

"But don't kill him first."  They nodded and dragged the body to the side of the deck.  Inuyasha turned around and walked toward his first mate who stood near the doors that led below deck.  The first mate was also his closest friend since childhood, Miroku.  Miroku stood at about the same height as Inuyasha but with a strikingly different personality.  Miroku was a complete and total lecher; if he saw a beautiful woman his mind and hands went everywhere they shouldn't have and he usually ended up with a bruised face.  But he always deserved it.  He had pulled his shoulder-length black hair into a low ponytail, leaving the shorter hairs to hang in his face like bangs.  He had, for some unknown reason, shined his boots to a glossy finish as if he was going to see someone who cared.  He wore breeches that were the same dark black as his boots and a white, high collar shirt with long sleeves that billowed out around his arms and clasped shut around his wrists.

"Hey, Miroku!"  He called out as he approach him.  Miroku broke off his conversation with another crewmember and walked to meet Inuyasha half way.

"I just finished looking the ship over." He started before Inuyasha could ask.  "It's barely sea worthy, and there is nothing in the cargo hold of any real value beside the provisions."

"Have them split in half and load a half on each ship.  Hopefully it wont weigh us down too much." He half murmured to himself.  Inuyasha then looked out at Miroku out of the corner of his eye. 

"Did you look in any of the personal cabins?"

"Should I have?" he asked curiously, tilting his head to the side and managing to look remarkably like a puppy.  Inuyasha sighed, closing his amber eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.  

"Supposedly there are women onboard." He said shortly as if totally bored by the idea.

"Women?"  Miroku asked his dark eyes had widened a fraction of an inch.

"Yes, women.  Probably wenches considering that there was no kind of male escort that I saw."

"I didn't see anything either.  Meaning…"  

"That you can probably get some.  Easy."  Inuyasha finished for him.  Miroku was his friend but when women were involved it was very hard to tolerate him.  Inuyasha sighed with exasperation as he let his hand fall to his side and shook his head.

"Well, lets go find them."

It had been silent above them for some time and Kagome was about to pull her hair out.  _'What's going on?'_  Kagome felt herself twitch as the even and steady clicking of Kaede's knitting nettles continued relentlessly.  The older woman had been stubbornly silent after asking Kagome her brief question.  Kagome clenched her eyes shut and balled her hands into fists.  All this was grating on her nerves horribly; she would have bet money that she looked frazzled was well.  Kagome could picture herself mentally with her hair sticking out all over the place and she dress horribly wrinkled.  She was never going to sail again.  She open her eyes again determined to block out the annoying noise to see if she could hear anything topside.  Several times she was almost sure that she had heard voices, but like before, she couldn't make out words.  Kagome suddenly heard male voices coming from the narrow hallway on the other side of the door.  And Kaede's needles clinked together louder; Kagome finally snapped.

"Will you stop that!!"  she yelled at the woman who looked up with a shocked expression.  Kagome immediately cringed as the door handle turned.

Inuyasha and Miroku hand looked in each of the cabins, finding nothing.  Inuyasha had started to think that the dieing man had been delusional until as he reached for the last door he heard yelling within.

"Will you stop that!!"  It was a woman's voice, there was no doubt about that.  And a young woman at that; _'There was no way it was any kind of woman of status.  They were all brought up to be seen but not heard.'_

After sharing a brief glance with Miroku, Inuyasha twisted the knob and pushed the door open.  

Inside sat two women, one old bat and a younger one, the one that had yelled.  He didn't pay any attention to the old one, but the young one caught his attention and he stepped inside to get a better look.  She was about half a head shorter that himself, with long black hair pulled back in a tight braid, with short wisps framing her pale face and large blue eyes.  Her gown looked black in the dark confines of the dimly light room.  If he glanced to the side he could see Miroku practically frothing at the mouth.  

"You look awfully well dressed for a wench."

Kagome had been caught by utter surprise at he sight of the two men that came into the room.  The first one had white, luminescent hair and stunning gold eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light.  He was taller than her, but not by too much, he was leanly built, both his dark shirt and breeches fit snuggly against his body, giving her a good idea of its shape.   Kagome blushed despite her attempts at willing herself not to and decided to turn her attention to the other one.  He too was attractive, in his own way, with his shorter dark hair and dark eyes.  But something in his eyes worried her quite a bit; a gleam almost that made some instinct with her pop into her head.  She had been pondering "the gleam" when the white haired one had spoken.  Any attraction had died at that moment.  Kagome felt her eyes widen and hands clench painfully, causing her nails to bite into her skin.  Her up bringing be damned.

"What?!?  Wench!?" she yelled angrily.

"You heard me, wench." He retorted quite agitated.  He didn't really want to deal with this.

"I am not a…a Wench!!!"

"What?  Are you used to being called a 'Mistress'?  You're dressed like one."  He watched with mild amusement as her face reddened further.  "Did some decrepit lord ask for your services over seas?"  Inuyasha taunted further.

"You bastard!"

"Bitch."

Miroku stepped in between the two as if that would keep them from fighting.  

"Enough both of you."  He said calmly.  He languidly knelt to one knee in front of Kagome and took her small hand in his and brought it to his lips.  

"Please excuse my rude companion Miss."  His voice was like silk where his friend's had been like silk…gliding over an iron-toothed brush.  "He is always ill-tempered, but, enough of him. My name is Miroku.  May I have the pleasure of knowing yours?"  Kagome eyed him suspiciously for a few moments before briefly saying,

"Kagome."  No last name.  If she remembered anything from her aunt was that in this kind of situation, never let anyone know what family your from.  And pirates had been known to ransom off the wealthy.  Then kill them after they had received the money.  

Inuyasha's eyebrow quirked.  _'Kagome?'_  Hadn't he heard that name somewhere?

"Mmm, Kagome.  What an exotic name!  And beautiful too, to match it's wearer."  

_'He sure pours it on thick doesn't he?'_ Kagome thought, agitated.  Kagome blinked suddenly as Miroku was suddenly standing to her right, her right hand still in his right and his left resting on the small of her back.  Kagome practically bristled at the bold move but couldn't speak as he started to push her towards the door.

"Let's get out of this cabin and into the fresh air, hmm?"  Kagome was about to protest when she suddenly felt his left hand slide down to cup her buttocks.  

Inuyasha winced and looked away when he saw the girl's eyes widen and her face flush further.  He didn't feel any pity for Miroku when a loud slap echoed in the confined room.  When he looked back he saw the girl trembling with anger, her body still turned in its post-slapping position, her right hand reddening from the impact.  Miroku's face was facing the inside of the room where he couldn't see, but the imprint of a hand was already painfully obvious.  During his observations, the old bat had stood up.  

"Well, as entertaining as this is, what do you to want?" she asked with just a bit of steal in her voice.  

Inuyasha looked again at the girl and thought about her name.  He was almost positive that he had heard it before.  Whether it had been from Sesshoumaru or somewhere else.  If a woman's name is mentioned in one of his conversions then it was either a tavern wench of a noblewoman.  With a determined look, Inuyasha stepped forward and grabbed the girl's arm, pulling her towards the doorway.

"You two are coming with us."

AN:  Well. That certainly was a lot of writing. I can't wait to continue this.  I've got it worked out to be so kawaii!!! *giggles*  Anyway, what did you guys think?  Was everyone kept pretty much in character?  Please REVIEW!  I love Reviews…  I love Sesshoumaru more but, REVIEWS come in second!

Please REVIEW!!!

These are terms for others as well as myself.  I've always had problems remembering which was aft or starboard or whatever.

Aft- the rear, stern

Starboard – right

Port - left


	2. Chapter 2

REVIEWER RESPONSES ARE AT THE END!!!

Disclaimer:  Again I don't own anyone from Inuyasha, but I'd kill to own Fluffy-chan for a night. J

AN:  Despite my brother's girlfriend's demands, this will not be a threesome!!  Somehow I doubt Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru would be willing to share, Kagome probably wouldn't be too happy either.  Anyway, I've decided on the pairing but for those who don't know it will be wishy-washy between the two.  And if you hadn't guessed, the other characters will be making appearances but as of now will not play a major role.  Kikyo will not have a part in this story!  Kouga **might** be in one maybe two chapters; and Naraku might make a two minute appearance but not as anyone special.

I'm sorry it took me soo long to get this chapter out.  I was having issues writing Inuyasha's character.  I wrote this chapter once already but I felt like I was copping out really bad so I redid it.  So here it is.

Chapter 2

 "You two are coming with us."

"Why are they coming with us?"  Miroku asked, cocking his head to the side again.  It didn't look quite as innocent this time with the fresh handprint on his cheek.

"I've heard her name somewhere before.  And the name is unusual, you said so yourself.  If I heard it from Sesshoumaru then she is probably from the nobility."  Miroku's eyes widened with understanding.

"Aahh.  Ransom."  

_'Oh no!'_  Kagome's mind screamed at her.  She had purposely not told them her last name to avoid this but it was for naught apparently.  She'd be damned if she went quietly.

"Let me go!  I'm not going anywhere!"  She yelled at him as she tried to jerk her arm free.  He smirked arrogantly at her.

"Oh?  Even though all the provisions from this ship are now on mine?  Not to mention that there would be no crew to run the ship."  She paled considerably in response to his condescending words; she consequently stopped struggling and shifted her blue gaze to the boards below her feet.  Inuyasha keenly felt the loss of that small contact with her; holding her arm was one thing but being able to look into her eyes was a totally different experience.  _'Such exquisite eyes…_' He violently berated himself mentally for thinking such a thought.

"No crew?  You mean you …killed… everyone?"  Her voice was small, timid, totally different from the when she had been yelling at him.  Her shoulders were sagging, her bottom lip was quivering slightly, and her blue eyes had gone watery.  _'Wait a minute!'_  Inuyasha thought with alarm, the hairs on the back of his neck raising.  _'Watery eyes?  Quivering lip?  She's not…not…'_

Kagome couldn't believe what was happening to her.  Everything had started out fine, but now… _'Everyone's dead?  Captain Bowles?  Is he dead too?'_  Kagome felt her eyes begin to water up and burn.  _'No!  I'm not going to cry.  Not in front of him!'_ she pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling. Despite herself, however, a small sob squeezed its way past her tightly pursed lips, coming out like a breathy hiccup.  

_'No no no no no no no no!!  Don't cry!'_  He was a pirate damn it!  So…so what if she was cr…crying.  It didn't matter.  Did it?   _'Shit.'_  It wouldn't have been so bad if he could rid himself of the feeling of over-whelming guilt that washed over him like a tidal wave.  It was strangely akin to feeling as if he had just stabbed a little girl's pet kitten and made her watch it mew and bleed to death.  To say it was heart wrenching was a major understatement.  No, he was going to ignore it.  Let her cry, he was still going to have it his way.  Inuyasha glared down at her to see a tear slide down her cheek and felt every resolve in his body crumble.

"Don't cry!" He roared.  Kagome looked up at him, surprised, then angry.

"What do you expect me to do?  You've killed everyone on the ship and you want me to happy??"

"I don't care what you do just don't cry!"  They glared at each other for a moment more before Inuyasha came to a decision.  _'If she won't come willingly then…'_ Inuyasha pulled her arm toward him suddenly, just hard enough to throw off her balance.  Kagome gasped as she fell towards his body, _'What is he…'_ Inuyasha bent at his knees, and brought his shoulder against her stomach and stood up with her thrown over his shoulder.  It took her a minute to recover but the moment she realized her position she didn't even have to think before she acted.  She screamed at the top of her lungs.  

"Gaahh!  Don't scream!"  Inuyasha called back to her from over his shoulder.

"Then let me down!"  

"Well, if you wont come willing then what options does that leave me?"  

"Inuyasha," Miroku started, looking at him aghast.  "That is not the way to treat a lady."  Inuyasha growled at him as he stepped out into the narrow halls.

_'Inuyasha?  And he said my name was unusual.'_  Kagome thought distantly as she pounded her fisted hands onto his back without effect.

"Oh shut up Miroku!  Bring up the old hag."

~*_*~

"Put me down!" she yelled at him as best she could from her position over his shoulder.  When no response was forth coming, Kagome resumed beating his back with her fists.  She would have kicked her legs as well, but, given her position, Kagome was worried about someone getting a good look up her dress; that would be far more mortifying than just being carried around on this guy's shoulder.  _'Excuse me.'_ She thought with frown, _'Inuyasha's shoulder.'_   Bright sunlight assaulted her eyes as they emerged on deck; Kagome, noticing the blood, closed her eyes.

Inuyasha's back was aching from all her pounding; she wasn't overly strong, but she somehow possessed the ability to hit the exact same spot over and over again.  When they reached the deck, Inuyasha felt her take a shallow breath; _'She probably saw someone's hand laying around.'_  Except for themselves, the deck was empty, the pirate crew having returned to their assigned ships.  The two pirate ships floated on either side of the beaten vessel; ropes that were usually used for mooring were tied at the aft and the frontward hull on either side to keep all three ships floating abreast.  Inuyasha watched as Miroku and the old governess walked precariously on a plank that connected the _Fair Maiden_, Miroku's ship, and the empty ship.  Walking over to the opposite side of the deck, Inuyasha found a similar plank awaiting him and Kagome leading to the _Vindos_.  When he hopped up onto the plank over the railing, Kagome gave a startled yelp at the sudden movement.   

"What are you doing?" she called out to him, her voice laced with worry.

"What does it look like?" he snorted back.  _'Like I can see much.' _ She snorted to herself.  Inuyasha was trying to focus on keeping his balance on the shifting plank beneath his feet; normally it wouldn't have been a problem, he had done it a hundred times before, but the girl's added weight to one side threw off his center of balance.  

Kagome couldn't look down; all she'd see was a little piece of wood between them and a personal meeting with the freezing waters of the Arctic Ocean.  Inuyasha seemed to be taking his time, either out of caution or to irk her, Kagome didn't know or care at the moment; all she wanted was to get onto the other ship, even if it was a pirate ship.  _'We're going to be fine.  I'm sure that with just one more step…'_ The step never came as several things happened at once; first a strong gust of wind threatened to tip them over, the wind brought a large wave that caused the boats to lurch forward harshly.  Kagome, panicking, pushed her hands onto his back and pushed up, unconsciously shifting her weight forward.  Inuyasha, who had been just barely keeping level, lost their fragile balance and tumbled forward.  

Kagome gave a pained cry as her rear and back were slammed into the plank beneath them; her eyesight dimmed profusely around the edges when the back of her head hit as well.  Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, willing her sight back to normal, but as she did so she became aware of a heavy pressure on her lower abdomen and legs.  After shaking her head briefly, she opened her eyes to see what it was; her breath caught.

Inuyasha had hit the plank hard, but what he couldn't figure out was what the things were that were jabbing him painfully in the lower ribs.  Whatever they were, they were making breathing extremely difficult.  Despite the discomfort for his midsection, Inuyasha couldn't help but notice that his head was resting on something softer…and warm?  _'What the hell?'_  Looking up Inuyasha figured it out all to quickly.  His eyes met her larger ones; he didn't have to blink twice to notice the scarlet blush that spread across her face.  _'Why is she blushi…oh.'_  The thought ended abruptly as a blush of his own spread when his eyes traveled downward to her skirt; or he should say, were her skirt had been. In their fall it must have caught the wind or twisted or something, because it was now bunched up around her upper thighs.  

Inuyasha quickly scrambled to bring his arms to either side of her trim waist and stilted his body away from hers.  Kagome just a quickly pushed her dress down with a mortified "eep" and struggled to get herself away as she crawled backwards on the plank. In her haste, Kagome failed to note the end of the plank and fell unceremoniously onto the ship's deck with a painful thud.  She rose to her feet as quickly as she could, swaying slightly as she eyed Inuyasha, who was up again and walking the rest of the wooded walkway.  Inuyasha, hopped down onto the deck of his ship, painfully aware of the eyes of his crew, who were currently laughing at them.  He glanced out of the corner of his eye to see Kagome completely fascinated with the planks of the deck, the blush having reddened further.

"I'm sorry." She murmured so quietly that he had barely caught it.  Everyone was watching him for a response, so he did what came natural,

"It was your fault."   Kagome blinked at him.

"What?"

"It was your fault.  If you hadn't tried to sit up, it never would have happened.  Geez, I'm probably going to have bruises from those knobby knees."  He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.  Kagome gawked at him; did he have no manners what so ever?

"Knobby knees?" she snarled at him and received an affirmative head nod.

"Well at least I can walk properly." She quipped snottily and turned her eyes from him, so she didn't see him glowering at her.

"I told you woman it was your fault!  I wouldn't have had a problem if not for you!"  Kagome tried to hide the smirk that threatened to erupt onto her features as she decided to go for every man's weakness; his pride.

"Only weaklings make excuses for themselves."  It was Inuyasha's turn to gawk.  _'Why that little…"_ One of his sailors called out to him before he could answer.

"I believe you've found yer match capin!"  He laughed with a couple of the others. 

"Mind your own business Jake!  And what's with the rest of you?" Inuyasha yelled, his eyes sweeping across the crowed deck.  "Cut those moorings and lets be off!  If Miroku beats us home I have to buy him ale!"  He added the last as an after thought when he caught a glimpse of the _Fair Maiden_ already sailing northwest toward the horizon.  As the men immediately began to work, Inuyasha stomped over to Kagome and grabbed her roughly by the arm.  Instead of protesting his grip like he thought she would, Kagome asked about her things.

"You'll live without them." He answered curtly.

"But what will I wear?" She demanded angrily.

"Frankly, I don't care!  You won't be leaving your room until we reach our destination.  Go naked for all I care."  They both glanced at each other with a blush and Kagome deftly changed subjects.

"And were is our destination?" she asked almost politely as they descended some stairs into the depths of the ship, toward the cabins.

"That," he started as he stopped at a door and took out a set of keys from a pouch on his belt.  "is for me to know."  He pushed open the heavy door and practically shoved her inside the room.  Kagome stopped stiffly and surveyed the room briefly.  There was a low bunk to one side of the cramped room, a chair, and an empty water basin.

"Well, have fun!" Inuyasha called as he slammed the door shut and locked it.  Distantly, muffled through wood, he heard the soft thumps of her fists against the wood.  

"Why an I being locked in?" Kagome demanded, on the verge of tears.

"For your own safety." He answered simply, and Kagome heard the clunking of his boots drift away.  She slid down to her knees in front of the door, a few tears leaking out.  Suddenly, something popped into her head and Kagome's lips smirked impishly.

Inuyasha was going to get a few surprises when he got back.

AN:  GOMEN!!!!  I'm sorry that it's so much shorter that the last one.  I promise that the next one will be longer!  And more stuff happens in the next chapter, I realize that this one probably drags.  PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!  I LIKE REVIEWS!!!!!!  How was Inuyasha's character?  He's so hard to write!

Review Responses:

DemonBlade:  Thank you so much!!!  The first reviewer!!  I hope you like this chapter.

Laura-chan:  I dunno, I just can't figure out what you're trying to tell me.  J  Thanks so much!!

J.Garibaldi:  Thank you!!!!

Vesta, the Great:  *grovels appropriately* I am greatly honored by your praise and hope that you find this chapter enjoyable!

Crystallord:  Thank you!  I'm glad to know I got Miroku down.  

DaRk_AnGeL:  Thank you!!!

Cat Demon:  Thanks!

Misao CG:  I'm glad you like it!  How was this one?

Talon skydragon:  Yes, it is adorable to imagine him in those clothes.  I can't wait to get to Sesshoumaru!

Megan:  Thanks!!

Saori:  Thank you!!  Here's the next one!! I hope you like it!

Hatokirei:  Thank you again!  And remember what I said earlier!  NO THREESOMES!!!  J

These are terms for others as well as myself.  I've always had problems remembering which was aft or starboard or whatever.

Aft- the rear, stern

Starboard – right

Port – left

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PPPPLLLLEEEEAAAASSSSEEE!


	3. Chapter 3

IMPORTANT!!!  I CHANGED A LINE IN THE FIRST CHAPTER, WHEN INUYASHA IS THINKING ABOUT HIS DISGUST OF MEN SO CONCERNED ABOUT HONOR, HE NO LONGER THINKS THAT SESSHOUMARU IS RUBBING OFF ON HIM BUT THINKS THE MAN IS SIMILAR TO SESSHOUMARU!!  THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW!!

Disclaimer:  If you don't know by now…go back and read it in the first two chapters!!

AN:  ARIGATOO MINNA!!!!!  I was soo happy when I hit 30 reviews!!  Heck, I was happy when I hit 20!  You guys are the best!  Reviewer responses are at the bottom again.  I almost wrote myself into a corner on this chapter!  I hope you enjoy this one!  FLUFFY APPEARS!!!  

Chapter 3 

Inuyasha leaned down against the _Vindos'_ railing, his chest resting on his folded arms at the bow.  One more day and he would be home.  Well, as much of a home as it could be; it was a place to eat and rest his head other than a ship.  He couldn't stand it when he was at the castle for long periods at a time; he couldn't understand how Sesshoumaru stayed there all the time.  Sesshoumaru was about as sympathetic to his plight as Sesshoumaru could be; they often practiced sword fighting together whenever they could so Inuyasha could work out his energy.  _'I've been out to sea for two months now… I almost miss him.  Almost.'_  

Sesshoumaru was Inuyasha's older, half brother, the first son of their father and his first wife.  They had lived in London during Sesshoumaru's early childhood until his mother became sick with some disease and died, then Sesshoumaru and his father moved out to the country.  It was there that Inutaisho had met Inuyasha's mother, Sarah.  Sarah was from the family of a nearby lord whose line had branched off from the royal family a few generations ago.  So it was greeted with absolute mortification and anger when she turned out to be pregnant with Inutaisho's child.  Both of them were publicly disowned and cast out by their families and so fled to Ireland, to the estates of one of Inutaisho's elderly friends.  It was there that they were married and Inuyasha had been born.  Sesshoumaru, apparently, had taken all this quite badly, for according to their father, he closed himself off rather suddenly and refused to even speak to anyone for several months.  But when he did begin speaking again, he was very cold and uncaring; nothing mattered to him.  Inutaisho's friend, whom Inuyasha had come to think of as grandfather died when he was four; and having no children of his own, left the house and it's land to Inutaisho.

"You're brooding again." Called a voice behind him. Inuyasha turned to eye the man leaning against the main mast.

"I'm always brooding Will." He answered sourly as turned from the rail to face Will.  Will had been one of the first sailors to sign on with them and one of the few to still be working with them.  He was a good four inches taller than Inuyasha with short, but wild curly red hair and unusual green eyes.  

"It's not healthy.  Maybe you should spend sometime with that woman to take your mind off of things." Will smirked slyly at him.

Inuyasha snorted.  "I've been purposely avoiding her for the last day and a half.  And you know it."

"I know.  But you looked positively dashing when you where walking across that plank."

"Until I fell right?" Inuyasha frowned at him.

"You said it, not me.  Besides, Sesshoumaru couldn't have managed more grace when you jumped onto it."

"It's too late to suck up now."

"You didn't let me finish.  Your brother though, would have had the girl in his arms, and probably in his bed as well." He said smiling at him.  

"Sesshoumaru could get anything in his bed if he wanted."  Inuyasha snarled as he looked out to sea.

"Oh don't get cross.  Sesshoumaru just does what everyman does.  At least he's pickier than most men.  He could be sleeping with any whore."

"No, Sesshoumaru has expensive tastes, he'd never sleep with a tavern wench or anything."  Inuyasha sighed.  Will looked like he was going to make another snide comment but a young boy decided to run up onto that deck at that moment, screaming.  

"Capin'!  Capin'!" he ran toward Inuyasha only to stop an arm's length away.  The boy was the cook's helper, he was the one who took the meals to Kagome, his name was Mark.  Mark doubled over at the waist and huffed for breath, his small chest heaving with exertion.  Inuyasha waited rather impatiently for him to say what he had to say.

"Capin', the girl!" the boy gasped between breaths.

"What about her?" he answered testily.

"She's dead!"

"What?!!" Inuyasha bellowed.  His eyes were wide open but weren't taking in anything.  _'Dead?  That's impossible!!'  _He nausea flooded over him as the bottom of his stomach fell out to God knows where and his hands began to tremble slightly.  Inuyasha clenched them together angrily, trying to force them to stop.  Mark took a step back, obviously frightened by the intense look on his face.

"W…well, n-nobody answered th-the door s-so I went in.  A-an she was j-just laying there an didn't move.  I-I don't think she's breathin' either." He stammered.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath and took off at a run towards the cabins. He noticed when he got to the door that he was being followed and snarled back behind himself,

"Just wait a damn minute before you come down, alright?!"  And plunged into the dim confines of the compartments.

Inuyasha stomped down to her door before reaching in his pocket to extract a copy of the key he'd given the boy.  He jammed the key in roughly and turned it, pushing in the door in the same motion.  He stood there for only a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room.  The air smelled stale, strange; Inuyasha gulped involuntarily.  _'Damn it all!! What's wrong with me?  If she's dead then we'll just throw the body over board and be done with it.'_  Despite his attempts at steeling himself, he approach bespoke of trepidation as he walked stiffly toward the lumpy but still bunk.

*~_~*

Kagome knew he was approaching when she heard an unmistakable groan as he stepped on the fifth board from her bunk.  She had had this planned since the jerk had locked her in this musty room yesterday.  But now he'd get his just desserts.  Kagome made every effort humanly possible to keep from smiling or laughing; that would only serve to ruin her carefully laid plan.  

Inuyasha's downfall was that he was a man, and men knew next to nothing about women's clothing except how to get it off.  There was nothing obviously dangerous about a woman's dress and five billion petticoats except for certain bodices.  Bodices like Kagome's held a stiff boning to aid the corset in keeping the wearer's back straight.  Kagome had managed to work out a piece of the stiff boning by tearing a hole in the fabric with her nails before she received her first meal.  The aforementioned meal was unremarkably bland but what held her attention was the bread knife resting innocently next to a small section of what was once a loaf of bread.  They obviously weren't used to have captives on board, otherwise the kitchen lad that brought her the meals would have stood over her as she ate or they would have avoided the whole situation by cutting the bread before sending to her.  But instead, the boy stood outside her door, waiting for her to finish unobserved.  They would surely have noticed the blade missing so Kagome took to whittling one edge of the boning every meal until it was sharp enough to cut.

Now she lay poised and ready; the boning tied loosely to her left arm, to keep her hands free, under the bunk's thin blanket.  Her head felt a little light from restricting her breathing as much as she was, but it would pay off, she was sure.  She'd be damned if she let him keep her locked up in this hellhole any longer.

*~_~*

Inuyasha was breathing heavily now that he had finally made his painfully slow way to her bedside, or bunk side rather.  She didn't appear to be moving in any way; his keen eyes watching her blanket covered torso, searching for a sign that she was breathing; that the lad had been mistaken.  Finding no such sign, Inuyasha leaned warily forward, his long hair tumbling over his shoulders to spill onto some of the blanket.

Kagome's eyes shot open the moment she felt the weight of his hair as she bolted upright, her hands grabbed the collar of his white shirt and she pushed with all her strength.  Kagome's efforts were rewarded as the surprised Inuyasha fell backwards onto the bottom half of the bunk, soundly thunking his head against the wall in the process.  She would have blushed had she the mind to as she jerked the boning from it's loose ties on her arm and straddled his waist to lean over him and hold it tightly against his neck.

Inuyasha didn't know which situation to worry about first, was he bleeding from the head, the pain emanating from it made him think so.  But now the girl had something remarkable sharp pressing onto his neck.  His comprehending gaze sought her triumphant and determined one as his thoughts cleared.

"You will let me out of this room." She demanded, her voiced laced with the authority of her station, however humble it was.  Inuyasha's eyes narrowed.

"Is that so?"

He lunged upwards; his hands roughly grasping her arms as he threw his weight up to twisted their bodies round quickly so that she couldn't react.  Kagome cursed lightly as her arms were pinned harshly against the semi-hard mattress beneath them. They were now laying long ways on the bed, as Kagome had been originally and Inuyasha quickly straddled her hips as pressed his weight down upon her to keep her from moving too much.

"Now," he murmured, his face nary five inches from her own.  "Why would I let you out?"

"Because."  Kagome breathed heavily; his weight was making it difficult to take in air.

"Because why?" he taunted as he applied more of his weight.  Kagome was now fairly gasping for breath as her lungs began to burn, she glared at him with tear wreathed sapphire eyes.

"Because of this." She whispered vehemently and brought her knee up hard into his groin.

A burning pain exploded behind his eyes as his nerves were set afire with the force of her kick.  With a pained yelp, Inuyasha rolled off of her and doubled over on the floor cursing.  

Kagome rolled to the side of the bed to sit pertly upon the edge and assess damages.  It hadn't gone as planned, but he was in no condition to stop her.  Kagome supposed that she should be feeling sorry for him, and she did fell a tiny twinge of remorse, but after all the insults that he had hurled at her, she was not about to feel so sorry for his manhood and pride and let her moment slip by.  With a soft rustle of fabric Kagome stood and walked primly around the moaning man to the far side of the room to the open door.  Then, with a slightly sadistic smile, she turned back to him and proceeded to sweetly say,

"See you on deck, Inuyasha."  And with a swish of shirts she was gone.

(AN: I thought about ending it there, but decided for my own well being to continue.)

*~_~*

The men that had crowded around the door to the cabins to see what was happening scattered as she walked onto deck with her head held high.  Her dress may be wrinkled and her hair a mess, but her pride was still intact.  A soft breeze rustled her skirt as she walked to the bow, ignoring the murmurs from the crew around her, she was stopped however at the main mast when a tall red haired man called out to her.

"Miss?" he called just loud enough for her to hear.  Kagome simply stopped to look at him to show that she was listening.

"Where's the Captain?"

Kagome smiled impishly, "Writhing on the floor in pain I imagine." Her voice was just a calm as if discussing the weather, but her eyes shone with a dark enjoyment as she continued her way to the bow.  

She sighed as she undid what was left of the braid her hair had been in and cautiously ran her fingers through the tresses only to get them snagged in vicious tangles.  With a heaved breath, Kagome untangled her fingers and shifted her attention to their surroundings.  They were no longer in the open ocean she noted with surprise; the helmsman was deftly steering them through a narrow water way bordered on both sides by high steep cliffs.  They landscape was all together surreal and frightening.  She had never heard of any place like this.  _'Where are we?'_ she wondered as she nervously wringed her hands together.

*~_~*

Inuyasha groaned as he got up from his position on the floor.  Damn but it hurt to stand too.  Inuyasha was thanking every god and saint that came to mind that that dumb girl hadn't ruptured anything.  After the first five minutes of intense pain had passed, Inuyasha had warily checked for any bleeding and was thankful to find none.  He walked stiffly to the door of the room and leaned against the frame to take a brief rest.  _'How long will this take to heal?'_ he wondered absently as he pushed off and continued to stomp down the narrow hall to the door.

There to meet him was Will, who watched him was an infuriating smirk on his face as Inuyasha painfully ascended the six stairs to the deck of his ship.  Inuyasha's breathing was heavy and labored as he glared at will before demanding,

"Where?"  He didn't need to say anymore, not that he felt he could and not blow his fuse.  Will chuckled darkly and pointed toward the bow of the ship with a lazy swish of his hand.  After glaring at him for one more moment before starting to go after her but was stopped by Will, who then pointed past the girl standing at the front of the ship.  Inuyasha couldn't decided on whether to curse or jump for joy, which would have hurt, at the sight of the cavern opening ahead of them.

"Furl the sails!" Inuyasha called to his men, happiness threading his voice.  "Man the oars!  Will bring her in under our own power."

*~_~*

Kagome jumped when she heard his voice on deck and whirled around to see him shouting orders as his men hustled about quickly to obey them.  The oars met the frigid waters with a chorus of splashes as the canvas sails were tied tightly to their masts.  Kagome watched it all in a sort of daze, imagining what the ship might have looked like from afar, like some great multi-legged bug running across the water's surface back to the safety of it's hole.  Kagome turned back around to watch the cavern opening grow closer when she noticed something at the top of the cliff above the opening.  _'What…'_

"That would be our castle."  Kagome jumped around violently to find that Inuyasha had somehow snuck up behind her.

"Our?" she asked shakily.

"Mine and Sesshoumaru's." Kagome lifted an eyebrow at his answer as he turned his attentions to the castle high above them.  _'Sesshoumaru?  Who's that?'_ she wanted to ask but refrained as she too looked upwards only to find that they were now to close to the cliff to see what rested at it's top.

Inuyasha turned his gaze back to the cavern opening.  .  The entrance was a large hole in the wall of the vertical cliff only visibly during the low tide and was barely large enough for a mast ship to enter; but the hole opened up into a large cavern.  The ceiling was so high that even when the tide rose the main mast would still be a hundred feet from it; inside was a large flat slab of stone that served as a dock for the returning ship.  A small ways away from the slab was a long series of stairs that led to the castle at the top of the cliff.  As the ship glided almost silently under the entrance a feeling of homesickness washed over him like he had never felt.  He would be happy to be back for a few days before he began to go stir crazy again.

As the ship coasted with practiced skill to the 'dock' Inuyasha was dismayed to see that Miroku had already completely unloaded his ship and was sitting on a large keg of ale waiting for him.  Several men on shore caught the mooring ropes cast to them by his crew to tie the ship off.  The ship jerked to a stop and the ropes groaned as it eased backwards into the water.  Several of the men hefted a large, thick gangplank to the edge of the _Vindos'_ side and the dock as it settled.   Inuyasha grabbed her arm roughly yet again.

"Come on." He said simply as he half dragged her down the shifting gangplank onto the steady rock.

Kagome jerked her arm free his grasp when her feet touched solid ground again and glared at him.

"You don't have to drag me every where.  A simple 'Follow me' would do.  But no, you have to be jerk don't you?"

"What?" Inuyasha seethed at the girl.  "And who is the one who kneed me to get up on deck?  A simple 'Let me on deck' would have been sufficient." He mocked sarcastically, glaring down at the girl.  

"Oh please.  You would have laughed in my face if I had asked you that!" she yelled back at him.  She would have continued except for the sudden flash of metal that caught her attention as a dagger pressed tightly against Inuyasha's throat.

*~_~*

Sesshoumaru had just entered the cavern from the terraced corridors that lead from the lower levels of the castle when Inuyasha half dragged a woman off the ship onto the dock.  She angrily pulled her arm from his grasp upon reaching solid ground and preceded to give him a piece of her mind.  A very large piece from the sound of it.  Sesshoumaru would have been slightly tempted to smirk at his half-brother's obvious discomfort but the fact that Inuyasha had brought her back with him had him suspicious.  His brother wasn't necessarily stupid, but sometimes his impulsiveness took complete control of his one-track mind.  And Sesshoumaru had a distinct feeling that this was one of those times; one of those similar lapses of judgment that had plagued their father that tended to bring hell to the rest of the family.  They were starting to get louder now and some of the men were taking bets, so with a quiet sigh, Sesshoumaru walked over to intervene.  

Inuyasha had been about to reply when he felt the all to familiar edge of cold metal press along the width of his throat and he wisely shut his mouth.  He would have bet a thousand pounds on who was behind him, only one person was that brazen and he had every right to be.  Inuyasha had been reminded several times, the hard way, that his elder half-brother was a better fighter than himself; both with swords and hand to hand.  He gulped nervously against the dagger, causing it to bite into his skin slightly.  Inuyasha knew that Sesshoumaru wouldn't kill him; because that would mean that Sesshoumaru would have to lead the ships, leaving no one here to defend the castle.  But Sesshoumaru had no compulsions about giving Inuyasha a good scar to remind him of his place.  

Kagome started when she saw a blade pressed tightly against Inuyasha's neck and looked warily to his side, almost afraid to see who was standing there.  She had believed Inuyasha to be very attractive when she had first seen him but he was nothing compared to the creature standing next to him.  He was dressed similarly to Miroku when she had first met him; shined, black knee-high boots, snug black breeches, and a white shirt with bellowing sleeves that gathered at the wrists, the only difference being that he also had a black vest that hugged his lean torso snugly.  A belt hung loosely around his slim hips, weighed down on the left side due to the weight of the long sword that hung there.  His hair was the same startling white/silver as Inuyasha, but his looked more kept, it seemed to have a heavier, silkier shine and look to it.  His face, the same flawless white as his hand, was a cold mask with slightly narrow aristocratic features showing no emotions, but his eyes spoke differently.  His narrowed eyes were the same sparkling gold but were cold with malice and unhidden anger.  His deep voice startled her from her thoughts.

"You have some explaining to do" He said simply, eyes locked on Inuyasha; he hadn't even acknowledged her presence yet.  Inuyasha wet his lips before answering.

"I thought that you had mentioned her before, so I brought her back thinking we could use her for ransom."

"Ransom?  And how do you suppose we do that, hmm?"  Sesshoumaru asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at him and was about to answer when Sesshoumaru continued.

"I suppose you had planned to write a letter to her family, explaining that she had been taken by pirates, namely you, and that you demand a price to give her back."  Sesshoumaru pulled the dagger away and his brother turned to face him.  

"Am I wrong?"

"That was the gist of it, yes."  

Sesshoumaru snorted and shook his head, looking away from his brother for the first time.  Inuyasha could almost literally feel his blood begin to boil at his brother's response.

"What?!  Are you going to ridicule me again like always, Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at him again as he answered.

_'Sesshoumaru?'_  Kagome wondered to herself.  Wasn't that the name that Inuyasha had mentioned?  Kagome looked around them to see that every movement in the cavern had stopped and everyone was watching the two of them fight.  She couldn't see them very well, but it looked like some men in the back were watching and taking bets.  Kagome couldn't hide her surprise at his next remark.  

"Yes, little brother I am."  Irritation seemed to emanate from his being as he continued but his tone never seemed to change.  "First off, how do you plan to pick up the money?  Draped in black cloak and cowl I suppose.  It can't be delivered anywhere near this place due to the fact that half the country of England knows that our family fled to this god-forsaken island."

"Which simply means that we would have to collect the money in England."

"Allowing time for the nobility to plead to the King for his army's intervention, meaning that you will either be caught in the act or fleeing on the sea.  No matter how good you are at ransacking merchant ships, you couldn't stand up to the armada."

"Why would the nobility plead to the king?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously.

"They would plead to the King and win his favor because if one member of the nobility is taken captive and ransomed, what would keep the culprits from doing it again if they got away with it the first time?  And even if you could get away, what's to keep the girl from squealing about us when she is back with her family?"

Inuyasha stared at his brother, blinking, taking in what he had heard.  He hated admitting that his brother was right but Inuyasha honestly hadn't seen **that** many holes in his plot.  Sesshoumaru strode away from his brother and the girl that had been oddly quiet during their fight, needing to get some distance between them.  _'God what a mess this it.'_  Remembering something his brother had said earlier, Sesshoumaru whirled on his heel to face his again, sending his unbound hair swirling around his frame.

"You said that I had mentioned her?"  Inuyasha nodded.  "What is her name?"

"Kagome."  The said Kagome glared at Inuyasha.  She had been about to answer Sesshoumaru herself when his brother had rudely blurted it out.  She huffed quietly and looked away pouting slightly before mumbling,

"I can answer for myself."

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the girl for the first time since he'd spoken to his brother.  _'Kagome?'_  She looked like she had seen better days; her dress was heavily wrinkled, her hair was askew about her.  He would have hazarded to guess that the midnight tresses had been bound back originally either in a braid or simply tied back.  Her large blue eyes were framed in long, dark eyelashes causing them to stand out against the ivory of her skin, small pink lips pouted as she looked toward the ship.  _'The name sounds familiar but…'_ Sesshoumaru sighed and shook his head warily.  This was definitely one of those chronic lapses.  While Sesshoumaru had been taking his assessment of her an elderly governess had slowly meandered from somewhere to her side.  

"You two come with me."  He said to the women before turning his attention to his brother again.  "Inuyasha!  Have their things brought up to the castle."

"They have no things." Inuyasha told him crossly.  Sesshoumaru looked at him dubiously.

"Why not?"

"They were left on the ship."

"You brought them here without any other clothing?"

"Surely some of you whores left some clothing behind for them to wear." Inuyasha snarled at him and instantly regretted it as his bother grabbed him roughly by the collar of his shirt and growled at him.

"You'd best hope so.  Now see to the damn ships then come up to report to me." Sesshoumaru then shoved Inuyasha away.

"Why me?" he demanded angrily. 

"You're the one who got us into this mess, so at least do something useful while I try to fix it."  Sesshoumaru snarled back at him.  Inuyasha glared at him but didn't say anything more.  With that, Sesshoumaru walked back toward the corridors that led up to the castle with the women following a short distance behind.

AN:  Here it is!!  Chapter 3!  I hope you all enjoy it!!!  It's 12:04 AM so I'm going to bed, 'night.

Reviewer Reponses:

FishyKittie – Thanks!!

Snowgirl – WAFF!!  There was some WAFF!! I hope you enjoyed it.

vicious-wolf – Did you like this one?  I hope so.  See, she's not totally helpless, she's resourceful.  

Demon-chan – I haven't the foggiest idea!! *laughs ruefully* We'll have to see.

Dark Star – Thank you!!  As for Seeshou and Kagome, you'll have to read to see!!  I know, I'm mean!!

Zialial – Ano…I have other S x K fics??  But thanks for the review!!

Laura-chan – I'm glad you liked the fall, this chap. got out sooner too!!  Thanks!

Misao CG – Yay!!! I got a cookie!!! *smiles* Thanks and I hope you liked this one too!

whitewingeddragon1 – Hehe, thanks!! I know, I'm trying not to make it so fluffy, notice the violence above!!  I hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much!!!!

lonemoon23 - Thank you!!!

Yuko:  Thank you!!

DemonBlade:  *blushes* Thanks!  I'm glad you didn't mind that it was short!

Suzy a.k.a. hottie – Thanks!

Goddess Sophitia – Thank You!!! 

shura – Was this cliffhanger just as evil?  I can't help it, blame Sess, it's all his fault, he's so darn distracting *grin* Anyway, Thank you and I hope you liked this one!

Faoiltiama – Thanks!  And I hope you always find happiness with you life-sized plushie!  I want on of Fluffy!

Wizardess Gal – Like I said, I hated having to give them different last names, or last names as the case may be, but it couldn't be avoided!  Anyway thanks for the reviews and I'll be nice to Kouga, I promise.  

Crystal Arrow – Did you like it?  I tried to make her a little daring…but thanks and I hope you enjoyed!

Zel no miko – Here it is!!!

Vesta, the Great – _remarkable_?  I've never been called that before!  Thank you so much!  I'm glad you liked that plank scene.

vee – Thanks, I hope you enjoyed this one!!

TO ALL THE ANNOYMOUS REVIEWERS:  THANK YOU!!!!

And to everyone _still_ reading, until next time, I love ya!!!


	4. Chapter 4

Laura-chan, you're going to hate me!!!  *grovels*  The official pairing is……Kagome and……Sesshoumaru.  FORGIVE ME!!!!!!

Disclaimer:  I don't own anyone from Inuyasha, but there are a few original characters tossed in here.

AN:  I'm soooo sorry for getting this out so late!!!  I was inspired to work on my original manga idea and then, last week, I had to haul wood.  Ahhh, the one curse of using a woodstove to heat the house…   Anyway, I know Kagome was a little rough of Inu, but they'll get some fluffy moments later.  But not now.

Reviewer Responses at the end!!!

Chapter 4 

Kagome was fairly panting for breath by the time they reached the top of the stairs that lead up to the castle.  She and Sesshoumaru had left Kaede some where along the way despite Kagome's pleads to stay with her, Sesshoumaru had assured her that she would be fine and he would send someone to help her.  Kagome hated to think how the poor old woman was fairing if she herself was having a hard time catching her breath.  If she had ever been sure about anything in her entire life is was that she knew she had at least five blisters on each foot from her boots.  _'God I'm going to burn these things the first chance I get.'_  Sesshoumaru had spoken very little since leaving the cavern below, she had glanced at him a few times only to see eyes that looked distant and preoccupied and she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about.  Despite their lack of conversation, Sesshoumaru had stopped once they reached the top of the stairs, allowing time for her to recover from their hike; whether it was out of pity or understanding she didn't know, but right now she didn't care.  She leaned carefully against the cool stones of the wall next to her and tried to calm her heavily beating heart and breathing.

Sesshoumaru had spent the entire walk up the halls attempting to find a way out of the mess that Inuyasha had gotten them into.  The only slightly plausible plan he could come up with would be that upon scouting the lands around their castle, Inuyasha and himself had come upon the pirates' hide out.  And they and their men had waited until nightfall and had dashed in, saved the women and dashed out.  But it sounded made up to him, and he was sure that it would to anyone else with a miniscule amount of intelligence.  Not only that, it required the cooperation of the women, who had no reason to work with them.  _'I'm going to beat the hell out of him when this is over.'_  Sesshoumaru was sick and tired of having his family's name dishonored at every turn; it had started with his father and was apparently continuing with Inuyasha.  _'Am I the only one with any sense in this family?'_ he found himself wondering as he had so many times before.  

He had been about to continue into the castle with the girl when he spotted an all-too familiar person leaning against a wall a little ways from them.   Miroku was leaning toward the wall with his right arm braced against the wall above his head, with another body in-between the wall and himself.  _'Doesn't he ever give up?'_   Sesshoumaru was almost tempted to watch and wait for the moment Miroku would get stuck, however he remembered the old governess climbing the stairs somewhere behind them.

"Miroku!"  He barked suddenly, startling Miroku and the girl in front of him.  Miroku pushed himself away from the wall almost violently coming to a stilted halt precariously close to the opposite side with his hands demurely behind his back.  

"Go help the governess coming up the stairs."  His face fell immediately at his command before quietly asking,

"Is the Lady Kagome with her?"

Upon hearing her name, Kagome stepped closer to Sesshoumaru to see down the hallway and spot Miroku and the girl who was glaring at him.  Kagome could only guess what Miroku could have been doing when Sesshoumaru had called out his name.  The girl looked to be a year or so older than Kagome herself with long black hair tied up in a high ponytail.  They way she was dressed made Kagome think she was one of the servants.  Miroku heaved a sigh heavy with disappointment upon seeing her and walked past them to go down the halls and find Kaede.  

"Sango."  He called to the girl next who stood up fully.  "Go search the castle and see if you can find any trunks that could possibly contain women's clothing.  And have someone prepare two rooms for our guests."  Sango looked at him strangely for a brief moment before complying. 

"Yes, Lord." She answered shortly with a quick curtsy before bustling hurriedly down the hall.

"Come with me."  He said to Kagome quietly; it wasn't a command, as the other two had been, it was almost a request.  Kagome followed him without compulsion and thought about the scene she had just witnessed.  This man was obviously bred to be to a station of some standing; the way he carried himself, the way he spoke to others, it was all there.  Kagome hadn't been paying any attention to where they were going when she almost bumped into him when he stopped at a doorway and had opened the door for her.  Quietly apologizing she turned into the room only to stop short.  The room was quiet cozy, a fire popped welcomingly in the large hearth that took up half the left wall, a large desk sat in the middle room covered in neatly stacked in piles.  One large winged back chair sat behind the desk covered in rare violet and red upholstery, two similar chairs sat before the desk.  There was a fairly large cabinet in the back corner to the left of the desk, setting on top of the cabinet were several decanters of red and golden liquids and empty glasses.  The room wasn't the reason she had stopped short; the reason was the fact that she would be in this room with a man, alone.  She had never been alone with a man before; oh sure there was the once with Hojo but he didn't count, she'd known him practically forever.   This was practically a complete stranger.

Sesshoumaru watched her stop after just entering the room and inspect the furnishings.  She seemed to have come to some kind of revelation or remembered something.  Sesshoumaru had an idea of what it was and could barely keep the smirk that tried to curl his lips off his face.  Kagome was obviously a bred to some kind of station if it was the thought he thought it was.  She didn't look over sixteen, so she had probably never been alone with a man before.  He might be able to use that unease to his advantage.   He stepped barely into the room and shut the doors behind him quietly before coming up behind her.

"Have a seat."  He said into her ear, startling the girl, causing her to jump and almost knocking their heads together.  She stepped away from him quickly and walked stiffly to one of the large chairs before the desk.  Sesshoumaru let one corner of his lips tip up slightly at her reaction as he walked over to the liquor cabinet to pour himself a glass. 

Kagome sat down it the chair heavily, trying to calm the shaking of her hands by holding them tightly in her lap.  Her heart, so soon after recovering from her earlier exercise, felt like it was going to beat out of her chest at any moment it was beating so hard.  He had scared the living daylights out of her when he had come up behind her and spoke into her ear and she suspected that he knew it.  Her efforts to hide her shaking must have been obvious because he graciously asked if she wanted a drink.  Kagome was almost tempted to accept but though better of it; the last thing she needed was something to alter her judgment.  With a slight shrug of his shoulders Sesshoumaru brought a full glass of ale with him to the chair across the desk from her and sat down.  He said nothing but looked at her for a moment while taking a sip from his drink.  Kagome couldn't help but fidget under his gaze.  _'Why is he staring?'_   With a sigh Sesshoumaru sat his glass onto the desktop.

"I really don't know what to do, Miss Kagome." He stated causally as he continued to watch her.  

"About what?" She asked politely.

"About you and your governess and my half-brother's idiocy."  Sesshoumaru picked up his ale again and took a long swallow.  The glass met the desk again and amber eyes met sapphire.  

"I have no problem with letting you both go if you both swear not to mention my family's name."  Sesshoumaru told her levelly.  Kagome couldn't contain the indignation that rose within her.  

"You cannot be serious sir.  I have been publicly humiliated by your brother, he and his crew murdered everyone onboard our ship, not to mention the fact that everyone back home will now question my chastity.  I cannot simply be cowed into silence because this will undoubtedly ruin me."

"I think you are over exaggerating things Madame.  All that needs to be done is for you to see a midwife who will verify your purity."

"And let you and your brother continue to go around murdering people?"  She retorted angrily.

"I am being more than generous in letting you go." He answered simply, looking at her blankly.

"Your nothing but murdering, treacherous pirates!"  She stood, slamming her fists onto the table for emphasis.  

"Do you wish to play pirates and the damsel in distress then?" Sesshoumaru stood as well, circling around the desk to step toward her, only letting a fraction of irritation show in his voice.  "I could offer you your maid's life in exchange for your silence.  Or easier yet, I could kill you both and dump the bodies in the ocean."  For each statement he took a step forward; and for every one of his steps forward she stepped back.  "Or I could kill the old woman and give you to my men to toy with.  What do you think about those options Lady?"  He asked slightly mockingly as Kagome backed into the warm stonewall opposite the fireplace.  She had paled considerably at his suggestions, clearly showing that she had forgotten with whom she was dealing.  Sesshoumaru stepped closer, crowding her against the wall, towering over her, but not touching, using only his presence to intimidate her.  Nothing like a good dose of fear to cow someone into a somewhat subdued state.

"We are murders." He continued, locking eyes with the frightened girl before him.  Lifting one long, graceful hand to her neck, he brushed away the hair that rested there with a quick movement that made the girl jump.  Sesshoumaru trailed his fingertips across the soft skin in light patterns, distinctly feeling Kagome shiver slightly.  "You said so yourself.  I could slip a blade across your throat while you sleep, or while your conscious, it matters not, and feel absolutely no remorse."

Kagome couldn't breath.  If his close, daunting presence hadn't been the catalyst for her current breathing restriction, then the hand on her neck certainly was.  Kagome struggled to clear her thoughts as her heart pounded frantically in her chest, sending an almost painful amount of oxygen to her head.  _'He's just trying to intimidate me.'_  She kept trying to tell herself; the thought however, went no farther than that.  She couldn't tear her eyes from his steadfast gaze of molten gold as she looked up at him.  Emphases on the looking up; Kagome was startled to realize just how much taller he was than her.  She had realized that he was tall but it had apparently escaped her as to the extent.  The fire behind him cast an eerie gold glow around his figure, the light filtered through his loose hair giving his already unusual coloring an ethereal feel. 

Sesshoumaru watched a blush spread across her cheeks as her pulse picked up underneath his hand.  Despite the fact that he stood between her and the fire, her eyes had managed to catch and reflect some of its light; making the blue in them shift and swim with darker shades of itself.  At that moment, Sesshoumaru thought her eyes looked deeper than any ocean that he had ever sailed.  They looked infinitely deep; Sesshoumaru leaned forward slightly, getting closer, he searched their swirling depths for any sign of an end.  Her pink lips, almost rouge from her heart's rapid pace, parted slightly as her breathing became more labored.

Sesshoumaru blinked.  _'What the…?'_  He stepped back away from her, his eyes narrowing and a frown turning the corners of his mouth downward.  _'What was that?'_ he wondered as he turned away from her to stand in front of the fireplace.

Kagome slid slowly down the wall and landed with an unladylike plop onto the floor and stared blankly forward.  _'W…what was that about?'_ she thought shakily as her heart gradually slowed and her breathing returned to normal.  Kagome lifted her gaze up to the man that stood in front of the fireplace with his back to her.   

The door suddenly slammed open, startling them both out of thoughts.

"Damn it Sesshoumaru!  Why the hell…" Inuyasha stopped mid-sentence as he looked from his brother near the fire to the blushing girl on the ground.  Inuyasha smiled slyly at his brother.  "Should I bother asking what you two were doing?" he asked flippantly.

Kagome's blush deepened as she squawked in indignation.  "How dare you…" she started as she jumped to her feet in a rustle of fabric.  "…insinuate that kind of thing?!" 

"Well what the hell am I supposed to think girl?  I come in and you're sitting on the floor against the wall blushing like hell after being in the room _alone _with my brother, just what should I think?" he shot back lucidly.

"Well, at least ask or something…" she mumbled, looking away.  _'Oh God, what if he had come in a few minutes sooner?'_  Her blush deepened.

Sesshoumaru watched the girl, Kagome, and his brother's little argument silently.  He watched his brother's expression and listened to his voice tone intently, and cocked a delicately tapered eyebrow in Inuyasha's direction.  _'Is he purposely leading her on?'_  Sesshoumaru would have snorted if it weren't beneath him.  So he settled for a quite, barely noticeable sigh.

"Inuyasha, take Miss Kagome to one of the rooms that Sango prepared.  She has much to think over."  He said blandly as he walked back to his desk.

"Think over?  Think over what?" Inuyasha asked.  Sesshoumaru turned abruptly and stared pointedly into Kagome's eyes.

"Her options."

Inuyasha watched Kagome blanch and shift under his brother's gaze.  He couldn't really help but wonder what had happened before he had come in.  It was almost like an itch, his curiosity that is.  An itch that started between his shoulder blades, in that infernal spot that he could never quite reach.  Damn but he needed to scratch this itch before it became worse he thought as he looked around the room for any clues as to what happened.  No overturned furniture, no broken glass either.   _'Hmm…_' He wondered as his eyes traveled around the room until they finally found his brother's.  Sesshoumaru turned his pointed gaze at him and arched his eyebrow at him, almost as if saying, 'Well?'  With a heavy sigh Inuyasha stomped over to the girl and grabbed her wrist; but not as ungently as before.

"Come on." He said simply as he started to lead her toward the door.  To his surprise she came complacently and silently, her startling blue eyes downcast.

*~_~*

Sesshoumaru watched his brother lead the oddly quite girl out of the room and waited until their footsteps had faded from his hearing before letting a scowl slightly distort his features.  He couldn't rightly say what had happened to him when he had been near that girl, and that bothered him.  He walked briskly back to the fireplace, ale in hand, and leaned against the mantelpiece.  Some of his hair tumbled over his shoulders with the motion and a few smaller wisps fell over his eyes.  Sesshoumaru watched the fire's light play on the watery strands in a warm yellow glow.  His thoughts drifted back to the girl and his odd reactions.  His intent when he had stepped close to her had been purely to intimidate.  Nothing more than that.  So what the hell had happened?  He couldn't remember anything between the time that he had looked into her eyes and when he had finally snapped out of whatever trance he fallen into. 

Sesshoumaru lifted the glass to his lips before backing it up and looking at the golden liquid intently.  He smiled ruefully before tossing the rest of the alcohol into the fire.  He watched as the flames burst violent for a moment before returning to its normal fever.   _'Father always used to tease me about not mixing well with alcohol.'_

*~_~*

Kagome walked mutely down the halls, not paying heed to where Inuyasha was leading her, but just following his presence in front of her.  When Inuyasha had burst into the room, in her anger and mortification, she had completely forgotten her current situation.  No matter how these people treated her, they were still pirates.  Inuyasha had undoubtedly killed several people on her ship, and his brother, Sesshoumaru, had made it perfectly clear that it might be in their best interest to kill her and Kaede and be done with it.  He had offered to let both her and her governess go with the only condition of not leading anything back to them.  Was he telling the truth or just feeding her lies to make her complacent?  

Inuyasha glanced back at her from time to time only to see that her concentration was focused inward, he was really amazed that she hadn't walked into a wall or anything with all the corners and such that he was leading her around.  She wasn't acting like the stubborn and fiery woman she had on the ship, or even when he had dragged her off the ship.  She had been back for a moment when he had burst into study, but then went back into this reclusive submissive mode.  _'What the hell did Sesshoumaru say to her?'_ he almost growled with his thoughts.  Damn that prick.  Inuyasha jerked to a stop when he realized that he'd been about to pass her door.  Kagome walked straight into his back due to his sudden halt.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, blinking up at him and rubbing her nose.  

She looked rather cute.  _'Aarrgghh!!  What the hell?'_

"Your room." He answered gruffly with a gesture toward the door.

"Oh." She said simply as she walked to the door and opened it.  Stepping into the room, Kagome turned around and gave Inuyasha a weak, forced smile.

"Thank you for showing me to my room."  Inuyasha merely nodded at her words and Kagome started to shut the door.

"Umm…" he started, causing Kagome to pause in her actions and look back at him again.  "Whatever that ass said to you in there, don't take it to heart."  He murmured as he looked away from her.  "He just tries to act like a bad ass."  Kagome blinked at him for a few moments.

She smiled at him again, genuinely.  "Thank you, Inuyasha."

He just 'hmphed' and stomped away.  Kagome smiled again as she watched him walk back the way they had come.

AN:  Again, I am so sorry about the long wait, but was it worth it?  Anyway, I probably wont update this until after the 15th of December because I'm entering a Fanfiction contest and the stories are due by the 15th.  So I'll probably have PP 5 up on the 21st.  PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!

Reviewer Responses:

Snowgirl – See, here's Sango!!!  I hope you like this one too!

Araya Nattawat – If you hadn't guessed yet, yes, it is Sess/Kagome.  Thanks and I hope that you like this one too!

J.Garibaldi – Yes, he is creepy isn't he?  Thanks so much!

Shahrezad1 – I know, I love them both too!  But I'm glad that you enjoyed it and I hope that you liked this one too.

DemonBlade – I was so unsure about how the kicking Inuyasha thing would go over but it seems that several people liked it.  Thanks for the review and I hope that you liked this one!!

vicious-wolf – Here it is!!  Sorry it took so long! Thanks and I hope you enjoyed!

Shura – What did you think of this one?  Did it qualify as a cliffhanger?  Thanks you and I hope you like this one!

Voldersnort – I'm so glad that you did click this one!  I hope you liked this chapter too!

catleya – I'm sorry its not Inu/Kag, but I hope that you'll read this anyway!  Thanks for the review anyhow!

Laura-chan - *grovels* I'M SO SORRY!!!!!  Please forgive me!!  You've only been chanting Inu/Kag the whole time!  Please don't kill me!  I had an idea at the beginning that this would be Sess/Kag but it wasn't for sure. I'M SOO SORRY!!!!!

BoOkWoRm – I hope you didn't lose it before I got this out!  Thanks!!

sorena27 – Sorry I didn't update soon!  Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed this one!!

Anonymous Reviewer – Thanks so much!!  

Saori – Sorry it's not Inu/Kag but I'm glad that you'll still read this!  Thank you so much for the review!

Vesta, the Great - *grovels again* Please forgive my tardiness Oh Great One!  My feeble excuses are at the top of the page.  Anyway, I hope you liked this one too!

PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!   PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!   PLEASE REVIEW!!   PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!  


	5. Chapter 5

*Sesshoumaru steps into a spotlighted area, he is the only thing that can be seen*

"Ahem.  Bishonen no Hime does not own that bastard's…" *sound of a whip cracking, Sesshoumaru looking nervous and suddenly changes tactics*  "*cough* Um, I mean, Inuyasha's show or any of it's characters.  She does however own the plot…and borrows me in her sick, twisted and *whip cracking again, except louder this time, Sesshoumaru looks off to the side, startled, into the darkness* I mean, her charming, and creative mind." He answered quickly, everything coming out in a rush. 

*As spotlight fades Sesshoumaru looks to either side with wide eyes.  It fades to complete blackness and Sesshoumaru screams as the whip cracks several times, followed by dark laughter*

AN:  I have been trying to write for a fanfiction contest for the past two weeks and what do I come up with, absolutely nothing.  Oh well.  Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!  You have no idea how much I appreciate them all!  

Chapter 5

Kagome stretched her arms above her head and gave a loud, unladylike yawn as she kicked away the warm covers that had been wrapped in a warm cocoon around her.  She absently rubbed her eyes free of the sleep that had built up over night as she blearily looked about the room.  She had been quite happy with her room after Inuyasha had shown her to it; it had been a comforting atmosphere to her stressed mind.  Things in her life had changed so rapidly and drastically that it had almost left her head spinning. The sight of a normal and familiar setting with the large four post bed and a warm fire friendly popping in the hearth had been a balm to her soul.  Kagome had thrown herself onto the bed and gazed out at the balcony that she had just noticed and had fallen almost instantly into a deep and dreamless sleep.  She yawned again as she crawled off the bed and set her bare feet onto the cold floor.  _'Wait a minute…'_ She couldn't remember taking her boots off before she fell asleep.  And how had she gotten under the covers?  Someone must have come in after she had fallen asleep and taken her boots off and placed her under the covers.  She was still in her blue dress from yesterday, which was probably ruined by all of the probably permanent wrinkles.  _'But…but who?'_   Kagome plopped onto the edge of the bed as she tried to remember anything else.  Engrossed in her thoughts as she was, Kagome didn't hear the door to her room opened quietly.

"Oh, you're awake!" a surprised voice said from the doorway.  Kagome sprung to her feet and spun around to face the intruder to find the girl from the hallway the day before.  Her long dark hair was up in a high ponytail like before, and her warm brown eyes almost sparkled as she smiled at Kagome.  Her hands were clasped in front of her, directly below the tie for the white apron she had on over a gray muslin dress.

"Are you hungry?  I'll send for something."  She turned away and spoke to someone that Kagome couldn't see in the hall before she turned back and smiled at her again.  

"I'm Sango, by the way, I run the household for the most part."  Sango said warmly as she stepped into the room, two men followed her, each carrying a large trunk.  They placed the trunks at the end of her bed and then left the room without saying a word.  The girl Sango went instantly to the bed and began rearranging the covers and fluffing the pillows.  

"I hope you don't mind." She started warmly, "I came to bring you dinner last night and you where already asleep, dead to the world as a matter of fact."  Sango almost giggled at the horrified look on the other girl's face.  "But I took off your boots and put you under the covers.  It can get really cold in this castle at night."

Kagome let out the breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding.  So, it had been her.  She had been so worried that some sick pervert had come into her room last night and possibly done something to her.  Kagome smiled back at the girl for the first time since she had entered the room.

"I'm so relived to hear that." She said with an embarrassed giggle.  "I was worried that some lecher had come into my room last night."  The other girl snorted and waved a hand to dismiss the thought.

"There's only one lecher in this castle and he is strictly forbidden to leave his rooms at night as long as the castle isn't under attack."  Kagome's eyes widened in comprehension.

"Miroku." She breathed.  Sango looked up at her, startled.

"You know him?"

"He's the guy that was with you yesterday in the hall, right?"  Kagome asked in a deadpan voice; Sango nodded.  Kagome sighed heavily and hung her head.  "He groped me right before I was kidnapped."  Sango felt her blood boil as she literally jumped the distance between the girl and herself.  She grabbed her shoulders in a strong grip and looked at her with worried eyes.

"He groped you?  He didn't try anything else did he?  Are you okay?"  She asked the startled girl rapidly.  Kagome blinked at her before answering.

"I'm fine.  I smacked him hard enough to almost make me forgive him." Kagome smiled again at Sango, whose clenched fist was shaking with adrenalin.  

"I'll kill him." She pronounced each syllable separately, filling each one with malice.  Kagome cocked her head at Sango as she watched the other girl's reaction.  Suddenly something seemed to dawn on her.

"Why are you so worried about him groping people?  Other than the fact that it's inappropriate." Kagome asked in a sly voice as Sango immediately shut her mouth.  Kagome watched in rapt fascination as a small blush crept onto the other girl's cheeks.  Sango suddenly cleared her throat and went to smoothing a wrinkle in the bed covers that never existed.

"N-no reason, I'm just sick of his perversions.  That's all."  She slightly stuttered out, Kagome just smiled at her knowingly.

"My name's Kagome, by the way."  She said politely as she walked to the foot of her bed.  Sango seemed all too happy to change the topic.

"Those trunks contain some clothing I found that, now that I look at you, should fit almost perfectly."  

Kagome squealed excitedly at the idea of actually being able to change clothes as she opened one of the trunks to find it packed with clothes of every color possible.  She pulled out the top-most dress and awed at the exquisitely soft fabric that flowed through her fingers as she held it up to herself and looked in a full-length mirror on the side wall.  It was emerald green with paler green lacings up the front of the bodice and a square neckline.  Kagome's gaze lingered on the neckline, wondering just how low it was going to come one her.  Sango had come beside her and opened the other chest and Kagome could see that it was equally as full as the one she had opened.

"Where did you find all these clothes?" Kagome asked; the wonder unmasked in her voice.

"They were the late Lady's."  Sango said quietly as she gazed into the fire.  Kagome looked over at her in curiosity.

"The late Lady?"

"Lord Inuyasha's mother."  Sango sighed as she turned back around and began to take the dresses out one by one and hang them in a closet near the mirror.  

"Not Lord Sesshoumaru's mother as well?"  Kagome asked as she fiddled with the lace on another of the dresses.  Sango scoffed and she shook the dust off another gown.  

"No, they are only half brothers.  Lord Sesshoumaru's mother died when he was little, and Lord Inuyasha's died five years ago."

"Oh."  Kagome would have asked more but she was interrupted by a knock on her door.  Both girls looked to the door as it cracked open and a childish voice called out to them.

"I've got the Lady's morning meal here."  It sounded strained.  Sango immediately giggled and walked over to the door and pulled it open to reveal the cutest little boy that Kagome had ever seen.  He had orange-red hair that was roughly gathered in a ponytail at the top of his head and enormous blue eyes that took up a large portion of his smudged face.  He had a pale blue shirt and a light orange vest on over a pair of darker blue pants that were somewhat ragged at the bottom hem, from running through woods probably, she mused with a smile.  The said boy was currently weighted down by two trays that were piled with enough food that they probably weighed more than he did.  Sango sighed as she leaned down to the boy and took the burdensome trays from him with ease.

"Oh, Shippo." Sango started, also smiling at the small boy.  "Did that old woman send you up here all by yourself with all this food?"

"Yeah, you know how the old slave driver is."  He sighed melodramatically as he 'dragged' himself into the room.  Kagome giggled at the sight he made which drew his attention.  His large eyes widened even more when he saw her and he excitedly ran over to her.

"Are you the Lady?" he asked her in wonder.  Kagome smiled and knelt down to his level before nodding.  Shippo's mouth opened into a large O before saying,

"You're pretty."  Kagome giggled and thanked him right before Sango called for her attention.

"Miss Kagome, you should come eat before some of this gets cold." She admonished, slightly sounding like Kaede.  Kagome looked at the piles of food warily before an idea came to her as she looked down at Shippo.  Kagome smiled at him again before asking,

"Would you like some?"  Shippo looked at her totally shocked.  He looked like he was about to protest when Kagome easily cut him off.

"There's way too much for me to eat, and there's surely something that you like in there right?"  Shippo obviously didn't need any more encouragement as he easily grabbed her hand and walked them both over to where the food sat on her bed.

*~_~*

Sesshoumaru was going to strangle Inuyasha very soon if he didn't sit still.  He was driving him absolutely crazy as he paced restlessly back and forth in front of the fireplace, picking up speed as time went on.  Sesshoumaru was trying to figure out the expenditures in front of him and was distracted each time Inuyasha made a pass near the desk and the small breeze he was creating rustled his papers.  With an aggravated sigh, Sesshoumaru placed his quill gently onto the cloth next to his work and closed the cap on the inkwell so it wouldn't dry up.  He elegantly put his elbows on the desktop and laced his fingers together as he watched his fidgety brother.

"Why don't you go outside." He suggested calmly.

"Nothing to do."  Came his short reply.

"Go riding."

"Boring."  Suddenly Inuyasha stopped and looked at his brother with a lopsided smile.  "Why?  Trying to keep me entertained?"

Sesshoumaru scoffed at him.  "Hardly.  You should do something useful while you're here.  Plus, you're distracting my from my work."

Inuyasha pouted and began pacing again.  Sesshoumaru gave a barely audible sigh and rubbed one of his temples with his index and middle fingers.  

"Have you decided what to do with the Kagome?"  Inuyasha asked him suddenly.

"That's your job.  She's your prisoner."

"WHAT?!?" Inuyasha bellowed at his brother.  Inuyasha thought he was serious before he saw the barest ghost of a smile on his brother's face.  After living with him for so many years, Inuyasha could decipher a few of his brother's expressions.  Right now he was in sick, sadistic, 'I-love-feeding-off-the-pain-of-others' mode.

"You're a bastard, ya know that."

"I beg to differ."  Sesshoumaru sniffed indignantly.  "Who was the one conceived outside of marriage?"  Inuyasha bristled at the insult.

"What did you…"

"Why not show that girl around."  Sesshoumaru deftly changed the subject as he picked up his quill again.  This was not a suggestion.

"Wha?"

"Give her a tour you idiot."

"Why do I have to?"

"Because you're bored, she probably is too and misery loves company.  And all that rot."  Sesshoumaru said snidely as he scratched some figures down on the paper. 

"Damn you to hell."

"You'll probably beat me there."

Inuyasha snarled at him and stomped out of the room. 

At last.  Some peace and quite.

_'I wonder what she's doing?'_

*~_~*

Shippo flopped down on the soft bed as he sighed with contentment.  He was so full that his belly actually bloated out from the rest of him.  Kagome and Sango sat talking to each other as they daintily nibbled on some cheese or something.  He hadn't eaten that much since his parents had been alive; the thought dimmed his contentment only for a moment before Sango called to him.

"When do you have to be back in the kitchens Shippo?"  Shippo carelessly shrugged his shoulders and stared at the ceiling.

"I guess whenever the old bat notices I'm missing.  Or when she finds me."

"Maybe I should tell her where you are."  An arrogant voice called from the doorway.  All three heads turned to see Inuyasha leaning stiffly against the doorframe.

"Don't you ever knock?"  Shippo called tauntingly from the bed.

"The door was partly open, runt."

"You're so uncouth, dog breath."  Shippo smiled triumphantly as he used the new word he had learned recently.

"What'd you say?"  Inuyasha snarled as he took a threatening step inside the room.

"Did you have a reason for coming Inuyasha?"  Kagome asked, forestalling a potentially violent argument.  _'Geez, wherever he goes, he fights.'_ Kagome thought dismally as she waited for Inuyasha's response.

"I'm supposed to take you around for a tour."

"A tour?"  Kagome asked wonderingly.  "I thought I was a prisoner."

"You are.  But this is Sesshoumaru's idea of punishing me for disrupting him."  Inuyasha sighed dejectedly.

Kagome's eyebrows quirked at his statement.  _'So I'm something to punish him with?  Am I really that bad?  I know I'm a little rambunctious, and excitable, and use a few bad words…'_

"Hello?" Inuyasha called agitatedly as he waved his hand in front of the zoning girl's face.  She suddenly jerked and looked up at him blinking.

"Huh?"

"Take a bath and get dressed so we can end this private hell already." He snarled at her before stalking out of the room.

AN:  I know, I know, lousy filler chapter.  But she needed clothes, and to befriend Sango and to meet Shippo so it's all good.  Sssooo… What did you guys think?  I love reviews.  I love emails too.  Why is it that I get into the mood to write at 10:00 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at night/in the morning?  Lord help me, my Aunt has started reading my stories.  Hehe, hi Sandy.  Anyway, onto Reviewer Responses.

vicious-wolf – Thank you so much for the review.  I'm sorry that this isn't Inu/Kag, but I'm glad that you'll still read and review.  I'll hold you to it.  :)

Snowgirl – Thanks for the review.  I'm sorry!!!

SB – Thanks for the review!  *does happy dance*  Anyway, NO, Kikyou will not make an appearance.  I don't like her.

Me.. – Thanks for the review.  I'm glad you like it.

zel no miko – Thank you for the review!  And yes, there will probably be some Inu/Kag/Sess triangle stuff going on later.

Chibi Yume – Thanks so much!!  I hope you enjoyed this one too.

Windfall – Thank you for the review and thank you for correcting me!  That tells me that you are really reading the story.  And it makes me happy!!  Thanks again!

Hikaru – Thanks for the review!!

Laura-chan – You are ssooo kind!!  And I already have an idea for an Inu/Kag story.  But I refuse to start it until I'm finished or insanely close to finishing this one.  

Dark Star – O.O Yes!  Seriously!  Anyway, thanks for the review and (no, Sess wasn't really!)

Kitty – Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like it.

shikome kido mi – Thank you for the review and advise.  It was very encouraging!  :)

Lady-Ravenclaw – Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it and I hope you enjoyed this one!!

Saori – Thanks so much!  To be honest, I really feel kinda honored to hear (read) you say that about my story.  It's very encouraging!

Wizardess Gal – NYAAAAA!  Here it is!  Enjoy!  Anyway, Thank you!!

Ferburt05 – Thanks for the review!! I hope you enjoyed this one!!

shura – Thank you so much and I'm sorry you had to wait this long!!  Unfortunately, I didn't get the fic for the contest out.  *sighs* I was sparking with ideas when I first read about the contest, but when I went to write it the hamster that runs on the wheel that powers my brain had a seizure of some kind.  Oh well.

HoTtIe GuRl – Thank you so much!!

And to the two Anonymous reviewers:  THANK YOU!!!!

PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!   PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!! PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!   PLEASE REVIEW!!   PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!  PLEASE REVIEW!!  


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer:  Fluffy-kun is still recovering from last chapter's…um…activities, yeah, activities, so… I own nothing, NOTHING so don't sue please.

AN:  Hello peoples!  I am soooo sorry for the long wait on this one.  After Christmas I got the first Hellsing DVD and after that I couldn't really focus on Inuyasha, but I got the last Hellsing on Monday and new Inuyasha (lots and lots of Fluffy-kun!  *giggles girlishly*)  on Wednesday so now I'm back in Inuyasha mode.  Anyway, thanks to every one who reviewed and responses are at the bottom of the page!  I'd like to thank several people for 'inspiring me' over the past little while.  You people are great!  

Anime Girl - Thank you so much for the gifs and the encouraging email.  

Celyia – Just the fact that you like my story is an encouragement!  (If you're looking for good Sess/Kag stories I recommend her stories!)

Oh, and I have to do this for my brother because he's been annoying me constantly that my fic has pirates but I'm not using the proper 'lingo' so here goes:  AAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!    ME HEARTIES!!!!!!!!!     POOPDECK!    SCALLYWAGS!!!   AVAST!!  AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!   ASTERN!!!   BARNICAL!!   DAVY JONES' LOCKER!!   AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

Okay?  Now SHUT UP DANIEL!!!

Anyway, onto the story!!!

Playing Pirates Chapter 6

Kagome would have loved to stay in the bath longer than she did, if not for Inuyasha's constant banging on her door and loud grumbling in the hallway.  Shippo had left when her bath arrived, supposedly going back to the kitchens.  Sango had stayed long enough to help her pick out a dress, a lilac one with long, but loose sleeves, and helped her work the knots out of her hair.  Kagome braided the still damp strands quickly and tied the end with a white ribbon that had been in one of the chests.  Thankfully, there was a pair of simple white slippers that she happily slid onto her feet and, with one quick glance at her reflection in the mirror, and a glare toward her boots, Kagome stepped out the door.  

Inuyasha was slouched against the wall opposite the door, looking sulky and aggravated at the same time.  He stood up fully when she stepped out of the room and fairly glared at her.

"Took you long enough." He grumbled at her as she closed the door.  Kagome's eyes narrowed as she scowled at him.

"I had to bathe."  She said simply.  

"Women and your long baths."  He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.  A small smirk tweaked the corners of her mouth as she retorted.

"Well, if women had the bathing habits of men then men would be a little less enthusiastic about bedding women."  She said seriously as she wrinkled her nose in his direction.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" he growled at her.

"That if men could smell what they actually smelt like, they'd take baths more often."  Kagome smiled at him smugly before delicately lifting the hem of her skirt and walking briskly down the hall, leaving a fuming Inuyasha staring after her.  Inuyasha tilted his head down near his shoulder and took a tentative sniff.  _'I don't smell bad…'_

"Are you going to show me around or what?"  She called back to him as she rounded a corner.

"H-Hey!!  Don't wander off!"  He yelled, suddenly coming to himself, and raced after her.  He caught up with her at another bend in the hall, which wasn't any spectacular feat as she was only walking.  Inuyasha glowered at her out of the corner of his eye as they walked silently down the empty hall.  Kagome stopped when they reached another hallway intersecting the one that they were currently going through. 

"Right."  Inuyasha said simply.  Kagome gave him a sidelong glance out of the corner of her eye.

"What if I want to go left?" She asked boorishly.  Inuyasha scowled at her, his brow forming a crease.

"What if I didn't care?"  He watched, amused, as she puffed up like a cat that had just landed itself in the midst of a hunting dog keep.

"You are so rude!" Kagome huffed and turned her back on him.

"Well you're awfully demanding for a prisoner." He growled back at her.

"Just because I'm a prisoner doesn't mean that I have to be happy about it."

Kagome and Inuyasha glared at each other for a moment before he grabbed her by the elbow and tugged her down the hallway to the right.  Kagome allowed herself to be meekly pulled down the hall, her own thoughts on what Inuyasha had said.  _'What he had said was true.  I should be more worried about the fact that I am a prisoner here.  But what exactly can I do?  I'm friends with Sango and Shippo, but I don't think either of them is willing to possibly get a letter out to someone.  And just who would I send a letter to?  We're in…waitaminit.  **Where** are we?'_  Kagome narrowed her eyes.  All Inuyasha had told her when she had asked on the boat was that it was his and Sesshoumaru's castle, no actual location mentioned.

"If you had gone left the hall would have taken to around to the back side of the castle where all the sailors sleep." Inuyasha said unexpectedly, startling Kagome out of her thoughts.  Inuyasha continued walking but glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.  "If you have any brains at all in that head of yours than stay way from there.  They may work for me and Sesshoumaru but they would have no compulsions about taking a girl's innocence."    

Kagome blinked at him as they rounded another turn in the hall.  Was he actually showing concern for her?  Kagome felt her cheeks heat up at the thought.  Inuyasha had seen though, and stopped abruptly and whirled on her, a slight tinge to his own cheeks.

"D-Don't go getting ideas in that silly head of yours!  I couldn't care less about you, I just don't want Sesshoumaru beating the hell out of me for not warning ya incase you did go down there!  Got it?"

Kagome smiled at him slightly before nodding her head.  Inuyasha glanced around them for a moment before shrugging his shoulders indifferently.

"This is as good a place as any to start." He said disinterestedly.  Kagome looked around them at all the doors as Inuyasha preceded to explain rather bleakly that most were empty bedrooms; some had been converted into storerooms full of stuff that they couldn't or doubted that they could sell.  They continued along the hall with Inuyasha listing rooms off as the walked by with 'Empty, empty, storeroom, empty' and the occasional drawing room or something of that sorts.  Kagome followed along, half listening and was just trying to be thankful that her 'tour' got her out of her room.  It wasn't until Inuyasha skipped a room that Kagome brought her attention to their surroundings.

"What's in there?" she asked curiously as she walked to the door and tested the handle.

"Just an old room used to store paintings."  Inuyasha said drably.  

"Really?" she said, interested.  "I want to see."  She easily pushed open the door and was greeted with a lung full of stale, heavy air.  _'How long has it been since someone has been in this room anyway?'_  she thought to herself as she stepped into the room.  It seemed that it was one of the fortunate rooms that had a window as sunlight streamed in through the one portal to the outside.  Heavy amounts of dust floated through the thick air and visibly drifted though the narrow beam of light that stole through the dark room.  She couldn't step very far before she had to start stepping around old paintings lying on the floor or bunches propped up against one another.  Inuyasha leaned against the doorframe lazily with a bored sigh as Kagome picked up a small painting and brushed the dust off the canvas.  

Kagome righted the old frame and studied the warm but fading landscape.  Kagome looked around the room and realized that the one in her hands was the smallest picture in the room, most of the others seemed portrait size, made for display in studies and lounges, not shoved in some old room.

"You could probably sell some of these for a good price." She commented plainly as she shifted her way through the precariously stacked paintings.  _'Why am I offering advise to a pirate?'_

"Yeah, probably, if we weren't surrounded by fat old lords who are more interested in sitting on their arses all day and drinking ale, or bedding any woman beside their wives.  Yeah, we could probably sell them for a real good price."  Inuyasha called sarcastically from the door.  

"You didn't have to be snotty about it." She grumbled as a large, covered painting sitting on an easel caught her attention.

Inuyasha watched as she stepped around the old frames, careful not to get her dress caught on any sharp edges.  He hadn't told her that every fall, Sesshoumaru loaded Inuyasha's and Miroku's ships full of most of the stuff that they couldn't sell around here, and he, Sesshoumaru, took the _Vindos_ and with Miroku sailing the _Fair Maiden_ went to France to sell most of the goods to their 'supporters'.  Inuyasha stayed behind to watch over things at the castle, which he found boring as hell because the most exciting thing that has ever happened while he was in charge was the stampede of sheep three years ago that were being chased by wild dogs.  Sesshoumaru usually left everything in order, and took care of anything complicated before he left.  Inuyasha had lead the trip one year, Sesshoumaru had suddenly caught a severe flu of some kind and couldn't go, but he had told their buyers that the goods would be there by a certain date, and, afraid that they would go somewhere else, Sesshoumaru had entrusted Inuyasha with it.  Sesshoumaru had stressed several times that getting passed the British to France was tricky, but he had brushed it off as Sesshoumaru over exaggerating.  He wasn't kidding.  Inuyasha and most of the crew had almost found their necks in a noose before a diversion had allowed them to barely escape with there lives, two of the original three ships, and none of the cargo.  Sesshoumaru had thrown an absolute fit when he found out.  He had shouted and ranted and raved for a good hour before collapsing a chair with a spell of wheezing coughs.  In the end Miroku and himself had been confined to the sailor's wing of the castle for two months and their buyers had decided to thankfully over look this one short fall.  Inuyasha sighed; Sesshoumaru still liked to remind him of that little failure.

It had taken her a while but Kagome had made it to the covered painting without knocking anything over, and she was rather proud of herself.  With a triumphant gleam in her blue eyes Kagome started to peal the heavy cloth up and away from the painting's surface.  However the intrusion of a disgusting, green _thing_ distracted her.

"What do you think you're doing in here?!?!?" It demanded in a shrill, screeching voice that emanated from it's beak-like mouth.  Kagome did what came natural.

"KKKYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

*~_~*

_'What the hell…'_

Sesshoumaru looked up from the last of the expenditures and lifted his eyes toward the ceiling of his study.  That had definitely been a woman's scream, and there were only two that had reason to be on the second floor at that time.  And, call it common sense, but he had a feeling that it wasn't the old governess that had belted out the loud shriek.  Sesshoumaru sighed and rested his forehead against the fingers of his left hand.  He was actually thankful that whatever had been looking out for him the day he was born had saw fit to give him his father's hair, at least when he goes gray early from stress no one will be able to tell the difference.  

Looking up briefly, Sesshoumaru quickly calculated the last figure and scratched down the end result before screwing the cap back on the ink well and standing.  As he stood warily, stretching both arms above his head and being awarded with loud pops from both sides, Sesshoumaru decided it was time for a break and thought to walk around the castle himself.

*~_~*

Inuyasha's head jerked up at the girl's sudden scream, his hand automatically going to the hilt of his sword.  Kagome was currently pressed against a wall, her chest heaving and her eyes wide as she stared at the disgusting creature writhing on the floor in pain as it clutched it's ears.  Inuyasha relaxed when he recognized the pallid green skin and large bulbous eyes of the disgusting servant that followed Sesshoumaru around endlessly.  Now that he thought about it, Inuyasha hadn't seen Jaken since he had got back.

"Kill it!"  Kagome screeched at him, pointing a shaky finger at the recovering form of his brother's unwanted servant.

"It's harmless."  Inuyasha said calmly as he resumed his lax posture against the doorframe.

"Did you lock yourself in here Jaken?" He asked sarcastically, knowing full well that the door was broken, and was permanently locked from the outside and that he had probably came in there to do inventory and had forgotten to prop the door open, and it slid shut, effectively locking him in.

"I did no such thing." The ugly man retorted indignantly as he brushed his worn clothing off with heavily wrinkled hands.  Once his clothes were smoothed to the best of his ability the thing, Jaken, leveled its hideous gaze on Kagome.

"Who's she?" he asked importantly, as if Inuyasha had to answer him.  But Inuyasha decided to anyway, Jaken could be a pain when he set his pea brain to it.

"She's a prisoner."

"What's she doing here then?"

"I'm giving her a tour."

"Lord Sesshoumaru won't be happy to learn that she's snooping around." Jaken huffed indignantly as he stomped angrily toward the doorway.

"_Lord_ Sesshoumaru is the one who told me to take her for a tour." Inuyasha drawled lazily and made sure to put extra sarcasm on 'Lord' just to aggravate the toad like thing walking toward him.  Kagome watched, slightly disinterested now that she knew what it was, as the old man hobbled around stacks of paintings leaning heavily on a staff at least twice his height to where Inuyasha stood.  _'Is there anything else disgusting in here that I should know about?'_ she wondered as she walked back to the painting that she had been so rudely interrupted from examining.

Inuyasha watched warily as Jaken made his way toward him, worried about the fact that he hadn't made any kind of retort about his last comment.  Jaken wasn't one to let someone get away with mocking his 'master' as he called him.  _'I swear that the nasty little thing has a thing for Sesshoumaru.'_  A nasty chill swept up his spine at the thought.  Jaken stopped in front of him and looked up with hateful eyes.

"You should treat your brother with more respect."

"Oh?  And why, prey tell, is that?" Inuyasha rudely.  And then Jaken grinned.  _'That…is so disturbing…'_ Inuyasha mused with disgust.

Suddenly, with more speed and strength than anyone would have thought possible, Jaken brought his oak staff down and strait across Inuyasha's shin.  Inuyasha gasped and instinctively reached a hand down to his bruised legs.  Jaken looked up at him smugly, which was unwise as it reminded Inuyasha of exactly what caused the biting pain in his legs.  With a roar Inuyasha lunged at Jaken who ran with a startled squawk down the hall.

Kagome, not noticing her companion's sudden departure, pulled the protective cover off the painting in one quick swoop.  She coughed gently as she breathed in the agitated dust stirred by the sudden movement.  Waving her hand demurely in front of her face to clear the haze and peered intensely at the large painting sitting in front of her.  It looked to be a family portrait; a tall, well built man stood to the left of a woman sitting in an ornate high back chair with a toddler in her lap, and another older child, a boy stood to her left somewhat behind the chair.  Kagome stepped a bit closer and looked at the man in the picture, he wore knee high boots, gray breeches, a white shirt and a waistcoat of a darker gray.  Kagome lifted her gaze to his face and could barely contain a gasp.  _'This man…!'_  He had what was probably shoulder length silver hair in a ponytail halfway up the back of his head; warm, gold eyes stared back at her through the canvas.  Kagome's eyes swept to the little boy sitting on the woman's lap; he had short but wild white hair and the same rich eyes as his father.  _'No way…'_ But the round face and little nose left way of denying it.  The little boy was Inuyasha.  _'Which means that…'_ Her blue eyes raced to the boy standing behind that chair.  _'That's…Sesshoumaru!'_

*~_~*

Sesshoumaru quickly ascended the steps to the second floor with every intention of going to the main sitting room of the castle and sitting out on the large balcony that overlooked the center garden.  Spring had come early this year following the mild winter they had had, and the roses should be beginning to bloom soon.  And once they got a bit more rain, the hills surrounding the castle, other than on the cliff side, will be covered with all the different colors of heather that were native to Ireland.  Sesshoumaru sighed, that was one of the few things he liked about this country; it's lands had a unique, breathtaking, wild beauty about them that couldn't be found in England anymore.  Or so he heard, he hadn't been in England for close to twenty years.  

Sesshoumaru's brisk walk came to a halt when he spotted an open storage room.  _'Wasn't Jaken doing inventory?  Come to think of think of it…  It's been a couple days since I've seen that little toad…'_ With an indifferent shrug, Sesshoumaru walked to the storeroom.

*~_~*

Kagome blinked as she looked at the sullen faced boy and compared it to the one that she had seen only the day before.  It was definitely Sesshoumaru; even as a child he had had the slightly narrow, almost feminine facial structure, if anything he looked more like a girl as a child than he did now.  But the neat bangs were the same, if a bit longer now, and his then shoulder length hair had had the same heavy, silken shine to it, if the painting did it any justice.  His small face was set in a frown or a look of serious contemplation, which actually looked rather comical on a child that couldn't have been more than ten.  Kagome frowned at the thought despite the slightly humorous look on his face; he was the only one that looked unhappy.  His father was standing close to Inuyasha's mother, his left hand resting comfortably on her right shoulder; both adults had small smiles on their faces.  Inuyasha however had a stupid grin on his face, as most children do, and had probably been bribed to stay still long enough for the painting to at least have been sketched.  Now that she looked at it, Inuyasha and his parents looked like a happy little family, forgetting about Sesshoumaru who had half hidden himself behind his stepmother's chair.  Kagome felt a wave of pity wash over her; she couldn't even begin to think what it could have felt like for Sesshoumaru to watch his father, stepmother and half brother do all the little things that families do and not be a part of it.  Her gaze drifted back to Inuyasha.  She couldn't help but smile at him though, he had an infectious smile, and she absently wondered if he smiled like that anymore.

"You know," she started, thinking that Inuyasha was still in the doorway, "you were a cute child."

"Really…" drawled a deep voice that definitely didn't belong to Inuyasha.

Kagome gasped and whirled around to face the door, the skirt of her dress billowed out about her.  Her wide, startled blue eyes met the mildly amused amber ones of Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru had come to a dead stop the moment he could see into the room, his mind coming up blank as he stared at the odd sight that greeted him.  He had seen her first, a halo of light surrounding her from the single window in the room had her ebony hair demanding for attention as small wisps escaped from the tight confines of the braid.  The gown not only complimented her skin, making it look fairer and softer with the color, but the cut of the gown flattered her figure, the design allowing the material to fall in soft waves from her bust to her trim waist, and then falling over her slightly wider hips to puddle lightly on the floor at her feet.  She had been concentrating on the painting in front of her, a painting he knew all too well, her small, pink lips pulled into a frown until her blue gaze moved to another part of the picture, he then watched as she smiled gently back at the grinning face of his brother.  Sesshoumaru's eyes had narrowed then, something within him not liking the fact that she had been smiling at thoughts of Inuyasha.  When she had spoken, she startled him from his thoughts, and it was then that he realized that she thought Inuyasha was standing there.  _'What happened to that idiot anyway?'_

"I-I didn't mean you…" she stammered slightly.  "I was talking about Inuyasha…" A slightly shaking finger pointing at the painting followed her statement.  _'Why is she shaking?  Is she afraid of me?'_ he wondered silently as some darker side of him reveled in the fact, while the other part him was slightly upset by that idea.  He mentally shook himself; it was best if she was afraid of him.  But he couldn't resist…

"So…I wasn't a cute child?"  He asked in a serious tone, his face belaying nothing.

Kagome blinked at him for a moment, was he joking?  He looked as serious now was he did the previous day when he was basically threatening her; Kagome shook her head before turning back to the painting.  She couldn't really describe him as cute but…

"You…look lonely."

AN: THANK GOD I'M DONE!!!!!!  That was so hard to get out!!  I'm sorry for the crappy ending and not much Fluffy but I promise, next chapter will be nothing but Kagome and Sesshoumaru!  You have my word.   

Reviewer Responses:

vicious-wolf – I'm glad you think Shippo's cute!  I don't know about Inuyasha yet thought…Thanks for the review!!

Laura-chan/Elisa – Thanks for the review!!!

teline – It feels like a romance novel when I write it!  Thanks!!

phoebemoon – Thank you so much!!

Sapphire – I'm glad you like it!!  Inuyasha?  Do nothing stupid?  Naaww, does he ever do stupid things?

J.Garibaldi – I have no shame! :)  I am desperate.  I know…Shippo's had a hard life, but now he has Kagome!  Thanks!

Anime Girl – Thanks so much!  And the gifs are so cute!!

Silver Dragonfly – Thank you so much!  

Dark Star – Hopefully the lack of Sesshi was made up for in this chapter!  :)  Thanks for the review!

Romm – That's a thought!  Hehe…anyway, Thanks!!!

Kaimi – Thanks!!

Saori – Yes!  Clothes!  She was in the same clothes and without a bath for about three days.  The bath thing wasn't unusual back then though.  As nasty as that is….  Thanks so much!!

li wei – Thanks for the review!!

Kenya Skadi – Ha!  I updated!!  Thanks for the review!!

Lily – I'm glad that you think everyone is in character!  Thanks for the review!  

sPanKy – Thank you very much for the review(s), and yes, Kouga will be in here, at most twice, and Naraku will have a VERY small appearance.  P.S.- If you meant all six of those reviews thanks but if not, only press the button once!) : p  

Kerbuddy – It's okay *pats Kerbuddy on the head* They wont come back to get you.  I hope this so far fits your idea of a good S/K fic.  I'm trying… And sorry, I have no cookies.  *sobs* Anyway, Thank you for the review!

If I missed anybody I'm sorry!!  But thank you for the review if I did miss somebody.   I don't think I did….

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (See Garibaldi, one big one instead of a bunch of little ones! :) )


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer:  I don't own or claim to own anyone from Inuyasha even though there are a few people in here that are mine.

AN:  I'm soooo sorry that this took so long, I'm having issues getting my brain into writing mode for some reason.  But I thank all of you for your support and patience and I hope you enjoy this NOTHING BUT SESS/KAG CHAPTER!!!!!!!!  =P

Reviewer Responses are at the bottom.

Also, I'm going to start a mailing list for when I update, so if you want to be on it please leave your email address in a review.  If you are a signed in reviewer I can just get your email from your bio page if it's on there, but tell me if you want to be on it!!

And just so you know:  _'These are someone's thoughts.'_      _This is a flashback.  Notice no quotation marks._  Okay?  

*Bishonen no Hime stares stupidly at her computer screen as she rereads an email she just got*  OMG!!!!!  Everyone!!  This fic was nominated for a Fanfiction Awards Contest!   *laughs giddily for five minutes straight* I can't believe it!  I just keep sitting here thinking, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, over and over.  It's been entered in the 'Best Alternate Universe' category.  I went and looked at the other stories I'm up against, and I'm just happy I was nominated!  This story is up against some of the best stories on ff.net, not to mention some of my favorites!  But if you like this story, please go and vote for it (or any of the others) at:  

********

**Thanks Minna-san!!**

Chapter 7

"You… look lonely."

Sesshoumaru felt himself stiffen reflexively.  Anger, jealousy, loneliness; the day that painting had been made had been a swirl of those emotions as they bled indistinguishably into one another.  On the breaks that they had gotten, his father and stepmother would go on and on about how proud they were of Inuyasha for behaving so well, and finding all manners of things to bribe him with.  Sesshoumaru had gone over to the opposite side of the room and worked on his studies.  That had been what he had always done; he had poured himself into all of his studies, from geography, to languages to swordsmanship, anything to keep from having to watch their happy little family together.

Countless people had seen the portrait; and many had commented on his appearance in the picture; but only this girl…  With such casually said words, this girl dredged up memories that he had buried deep within himself long ago.  Over the years he had hardened his heart to the words of others and buried his feelings to keep them from getting the better of him.  But with three words this girl has dug up emotions he had not felt in years, and it bothered him.

"I had too many things to keep me occupied for me to have been lonely."  He solemnly lied as he walked away from the doorway and stepped further into the room.

"I see." She said simply.  Kagome watched him out of the corner of her eye as he stepped slowly but deliberately toward her.  Was he angry with her?  Had she said the wrong thing?  Yesterday's events were still fresh in her mind and Kagome was not ready for another bout.  _'Was it only yesterday?_' she thought as she swallowed heavily and she turned her gaze back to the painting.  "Then you must have been bored."

"Perhaps."  His voice was much closer this time but Kagome didn't look up from the painting.  He was in-between her and the door and coming closer with each moment.  If he was going to confront her about the whole ransom thing then she was in trouble; she hadn't even had time to think it over.  What was she going to do?  From what he had said it seemed that he was leaving the decision up to her.  Or at least the decision of whether or not she would cooperate was up to her.  Kagome frowned; she could speak for herself but she had no say in what Keade did.  _'Wait.  What happened to Keade?'_ Kagome's breath logged in her throat as she recollected what Sesshoumaru had said to her yesterday:_ "I could offer you your maid's life in exchange for your silence.  Or easier yet, I could kill you both and dump the bodies in the ocean."  "Or I could kill the old woman and give you to my men to toy with.  What do you think about those options Lady?"_  He…he wouldn't have really, would he?  _"We are murders.  You said so yourself.  I could slip a blade across your throat while you sleep, or while you're conscious, it matters not, and feel absolutely no remorse."_  His deep voice echoed resoundingly throughout her mind as it recalled his exact words.  Deciding to take the initiative, Kagome rounded on him suddenly to demand to know where Keade was.

Sesshoumaru had been no more than three feet from her when she whirled around on her heels to face him.  Her delicate features almost scrunched together in a look of pure determination.  He had taken his time in getting to her; casually studying various paintings as he slowly walked by them.  He had seen her glancing at him from the corner of her eye; he had also seen the nervous clenching of her hands that even she probably hadn't been aware of.  Both of which led him to believe that she knew he was walking towards her.  And judging by the way her impossibly blue eyes had widened just now, she hadn't realized how close he had gotten.

Kagome swallowed heavily, trying to wet her suddenly dry mouth.  How on earth did the man walk around so stealthily?  He had been standing in the doorway for God only knows how long before he had drawn her attention, and just now he was practically upon her and she had no idea.  She was reminded again of how much taller he was than her.  Kagome straitened her posture; she'd show him that his attempts at intimidation wouldn't work on her.  She'd speak to him calmly and with as much dignity as any Lady of the Royal Court could.  Sesshoumaru took a casual step forward, startling Kagome.

"Where's Keade?"  She blurted suddenly.  Sesshoumaru blinked at her and Kagome wanted to smack herself on the forehead.  _'Oh yes, that was very dignified.'_

"I beg your pardon?" He asked politely.  Her sudden question had been unexpected and so fast that all he had made out was something like 'werkaiday'.

"My governess, Keade.  I have not seen her since yesterday afternoon.  I would like to know what has become of her."  Kagome said as formally as she could manage.  Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment before answering her.  _'She's not cowering like she was yesterday.'_  Sesshoumaru felt a ghost of a smile touch his lips.

"Your governess is in the opposite side of the castle from you, to prevent any possible plotting, and is probably currently working on needle work of some kind like all old women."

"Will I be permitted to see her?"  Kagome asked courteously.  Maybe if she could talk to Keade…

"Maybe.  Even if you are permitted to do so you will always be supervised."  Sesshoumaru said condescendingly as he watched her reaction from behind half-lidded eyes.

"I see."  She said simply.  Kagome was certain that an eyebrow was twitching sporadically as she clenched her fists at her sides.  Did he have to be so arrogant, or was it a personality trait?  Kagome shivered as a sudden cool draft rustled her dress and raised goose bumps along her skin.

"All castles are so drafty…"

A thunderous BANG echoed around the narrow perimeter of the room before she could finish her sentence.  Kagome blinked and looked past Sesshoumaru at the now closed door of the room.  Sesshoumaru rubbed the bridge of his nose between his fingers and allowed himself the luxury of a disgusted sigh.  _'Of all the…'_

"What's wrong?"  Kagome looked at him curiously.  Sesshoumaru said nothing in response but gestured toward the door.  Kagome arched an eyebrow at him in puzzlement.

"Its just a door."  She said simply as she stepped past him warily and made her way to the door.  Kagome wrapped her fingers around the cool handle and pulled lightly; her eyebrows drew together when it didn't budge.  _'Okay.  It's an old door, it just need a little harder of a pull.'_  She wrapped both hands around the handle and pulled again, this time with all her upper body strength.  It still didn't budge.

"It won't open no matter how hard you pull."  Sesshoumaru drawled from his spot near the painting.  He hadn't moved, but he had turned to face the door.

"Why won't it open?"  Kagome asked worriedly, a bit of concern creeping into her voice.

"It's broken.  It can only be opened from the outside."

Kagome felt her jaw drop.  "Meaning…"

"Meaning we, you and I, cannot get out until Inuyasha comes to find you."  He said slowly, as if he thought she could only understand speech at that speed.

Kagome felt her heart begin racing as her concern bloomed into full-fledged panic.

"Q-quit joking around!" She demanded harshly.  "Surely there's just some trick to opening it right?  You know, kicking a certain stone near it or something!"

Sesshoumaru's bored gaze answered Kagome itself.  Kagome stared at him in shock; this was absolutely not happening to her!  She tumbled back a bit to lean against the solid door for support.  _'No, no, no, no!'_  This couldn't be happening to her!  And of all people for her to be stuck with in a room!  Kagome couldn't help but remember the incident in his study yesterday, when he had had her backed against the wall and leaning over her.  Kagome blushed at the memory; that had been the closest that she had ever been to a man, especially one as sinfully beautiful as this one.  Kagome shook her head and tried to take deep breathes to clear her thoughts, but her lungs seemed to be revolting against her brain at the moment.  A swift rustle of cloth brought Kagome back to the present moment and she quickly trained her eyes on the source of the noise. 

Sesshoumaru had pulled the painting's cover back over it in one smooth motion, his hand still holding the bottom corner.  Kagome blinked at him for a moment; he wasn't holding the cover's edge, the coarse material was clasped tightly in his clenched fist.  He was staring intently at the covered canvas with narrowed eyes, as if he could burn it with will power alone.  _'What's got him so upset?'_ she wondered inquisitively.

He hated them.  Even though both his father and stepmother were dead, he still couldn't feel anything more for them but hate.  They both had caused him nothing but trouble; his father with his poor decisions and Inuyasha's mother for just being.  But in the end, it had been his father's poor decisions that had ended his life.

"Are you alright?"  Kagome asked tentatively, unknowingly breaking into his thoughts.

Sesshoumaru, realizing how tense he was, closed his eyes and sighed lightly, he dropped his hand to his side and forced himself to relax.  _'The past doesn't matter.  Only what lies ahead matters.'_  They were dead; there was no point in dwelling on thoughts of them anymore.  Sesshoumaru flexed his fingers momentarily; he had allowed his emotions to show enough that the girl had noticed.  He was slipping.  Maybe he needed to spar with Inuyasha a bit to relieve stress.

Upon seeing him relax a little, Kagome decided to try and be sociable.

"How long do you think it will take Inuyasha to come looking for me?"

"That depends.  Why did he leave in the first place?"  He said coldly.  _'Geez, is he always moody like this?'_  Kagome wondered to herself before answering.

"I wasn't really paying attention, but I think he was arguing with the nasty thing we found in here."  The disgust was evident in her voice as she remembered that ugly little toad-like thing.  Sesshoumaru turned halfway around to look at her out of the corner of his eye.

"'Nasty thing'?"  His tone was bland, giving nothing away, but Kagome could tell it was a question.

"I don't know.  It was some nasty, almost green little old man."  Kagome said distastefully.

"Jaken."  Sesshoumaru said simply before continuing.  "If that's the case, then it could be several hours."

"H-Hours!?"  Kagome stammered ineloquently.  Sesshoumaru said nothing.  Kagome followed her earlier inclination and smacked her forehead, which earned a disdainful scoff from Sesshoumaru.  This was just the week from hell, Kagome decided.  God must be punishing her for _something_, she didn't know what, but there had to be a reason.

"What did I do to deserve this?"  She mumbled dejectedly as she put her face in her hands.

"Why?  Do you dislike my company?"  He said nastily.  It wasn't like he didn't have better things to do, but he wasn't moping around like someone had killed his favorite pet.

"Could you be any more of a conceited ass?!?"  Kagome demanded, suddenly angry, as she stomped past him and further into the room.  The deeper she went the more cluttered, not to mention dusty, it got and the stacks of paintings teetered dangerously in columns that rose well above her head.

"Believe me, I'm not even trying."  Sesshoumaru growled sardonically.  Why was it that this one girl could get under his skin so quickly?  Kagome whirled on him, the hem of her skirt flying.

"You have to be the most insufferable man I have ever met!" She fairly yelled at him.  Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her with an almost bored expression.

"You are sheltered aren't you?"  He asked condescendingly.  Kagome's hands clenched at her sides until her knuckles turned white, she felt her whole body shake with pure anger.

"You are such a pompous…" Kagome took a threatening step towards him but stopped when she felt her skirt not move with her.  With a small roar Kagome grabbed the fabric roughly and yanked it free of whatever it had snagged.  Only when a framed picture hit the floor next to her did Kagome look back behind her.  Her breath hitched painfully in her throat as she looked up at a tower of heavily gilded tumbled towards her.

"Move you idiot!"  Sesshoumaru yelled at her before lunging forward toward her.

Kagome mind screamed for her to run, to flee in some way, but all she could do was stare with wide eyes at the falling paintings.  

(AN: Should I end it here?  *sees the gleam off of swords, daggers and many other things she doesn't want to recognize*  Hehe, just kidding!)

Kagome gave a startled yelp when a heavy weight slammed into her side, knocking her to the floor with enough force to make her slide a small distance.  The crash that followed was deafening in the confined space of the room as the paintings crashed to the stone floor.  Kagome opened her eyes carefully, not realizing that she had closed them, and blinked a few times as her eyes burned momentarily due to the agitated dust.  She couldn't see but a small distance through all the dust that was drifting in the air, but it seemed to be dispersing quickly.  The weight that had knocked her to the floor eased off her as she coughed lightly and waved her hand in front of her face.  

"You have to be the stupidest woman I have ever met."  Rumbled an all too familiar voice; an alarmingly close voice.  Kagome looked to her side just in time to see Sesshoumaru toss some of his silky hair over his shoulder.  He was sitting on his haunches next to her, his once black pants and boots faded to a dull gray with a fine layer of dust.  _'H-he knocked me out of the way…'_

"You didn't even look to see what you were stuck on before you pulled."  He said heatedly, his tone lecturing.

"I was mad."  She said simply.  That's all there was to it; she had been angry and in her anger, she didn't think about things correctly.  _'Why did he knock me out of the way?_'  Kagome wondered as she blinked at him.  Sesshoumaru looked back at the disarrayed pile of paintings and gave a small disgusted sigh.

"This could have been avoided if you had just looked before hand."

"I was angry!"  Kagome fumed suddenly.  "And if you hadn't been such a jerk then I wouldn't have been angry!"

"Well this jerk just saved you from becoming a bruised and bloody mass, you ungrateful woman."  Sesshoumaru mumbled evenly at her.

"You don't have to be cross about it."  Kagome mumbled under her breath as she blushed with embaressment.  _'What's wrong with me?' _She thought dejectedly.  _ 'Now I'M moody.'_

*~_~*

Inuyasha cursed extensively as he sprinted up several flights of stairs; why did it suddenly seem like the second floor was so far away?  _'That stupid Jaken!  When I get my hands on him I'll…'_ His boots skidded noisily as he rounded a corner, almost running over Sango in the process.

"You better be there girl…" He grumbled to himself.  How could he have been so stupid as to forget the girl?  If she was gone, Sesshoumaru would impale him through the ass and hang him from one of the parapets.  _'Huh?  The door is closed?'_

*~_~*

Sesshoumaru stood and brushed the dust off his clothes with an exasperated demeanor.  What the hell was wrong with him?  He should have let her get pummeled by the stack of paintings, it would have served her right.  Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly as if to clear his thoughts.  And then, much to Kagome's surprise, Sesshoumaru offered her a hand.  She looked up at him, puzzled.

"I highly doubt you want to be sitting on the floor all day."  He said drably.

Kagome's blushed deepened as she delicately placed her hand in his larger one and he effortlessly pulled her to her feet.  The door slammed open a second later to reveal a panting Inuyasha.

AN:  I'm not particularly happy with this chapter, it gave me a really hard time.  And even though I got inspired at one point (inspiration always seems to strike in the bathroom for some odd reason O.O)  it still didn't come out quite right.  And I'm sorry it's so short.  Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember to review please!!!!!  Give me your imput!  

Reviewer Responses:

Digi_Youkai88 – Thanks so much!  I'm glad you like it!

Mala – Ah, yes, sorry about the long wait!  Hehe, this will be Sess/Kag, despite some of the fluffy moments between Inu and Kagome, I just couldn't help it.  Hopefully this chapter has set me back on track!  Thanks so much!!

Lunakytti – See! See!  *points to story above* There's the Sess/Kag!  Hehe, I didn't even think about locking them up in the room before I read your review!  Thanks so much!!!

li wei – Sorry about the cliffhanger, that's just where my brain wanted to leave it off!  Hopefully this made up for it!  Thank you so much for the review!!

Sith – SORRY!!!  I hope you like this one enough to make up for that evil cliffhanger!  Thanks!

Sapphire – Thank you so much!  For the review and the praise!  *blushes*  I'm not that good!  

Silver Dragonfly – Thanks, and yeah, I did, but it never hurts to have it twice!! = )

Anime girl – Thanks for the new gifs, their so cute!  I think, keyword, think Rin might be in this.  I'm still working it out on how I can put her in this!  Thanks again!!

Lexi – Yeah, I think I'm probably the only author on ff.net that would even dream of Sess and Inu as pirates.  I can't help it, Sess would look so hot in those clothes!!  But anyway, I'm glad you enjoy it and Thank you so much!!!

Saori – AHH!  I missed a pirate slang!!  I couldn't believe I forgot one when I read your review!  I love Hellsing but I wish all these little AlucardXIntegra ideas I keep getting would leave me alone for a while so I could write SessXKag!  Thanks so much for the review!!!

saa4 –Sorry I didn't update soon!!!  Thanks for the review!!

Jenny – Thanks so much!!

Romm – Thanks so much for the review!!  I really appreciate it!!!

shura – Thanks!!!!!

Kerbuddy – See!  Lots and lots for Sess/Kag!!!  And the next chapters will have much more, I promise!!!  

Kaimi – Thanks so much for the review!!!

diamond – I'm sorry that chapter seemed short.  Hopefully this one was better.  And I am sooo sorry about not emailing you some really good Sess/Kag fics.  I don't know where my mind was, I don't even remember getting your review!  I'm soo sorry!!

Reiko-hime – I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!!!

…… - Thanks so much!!

Kazle – Yay!  I've undated!  Thank you so much for the review!!

Meg-Chan – Because I lllllooooovvvveeeee cliffhangers!  =P  Thanks so much for the review!!

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!  And remember to vote at: **


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